What Would Jane Say?
by tki143
Summary: Tommy wants to ask Maura out but things do not go as he had planned.
1. Chapter 1

**As usual I have no rights to Rizzoli & Isles they belong to Tess and TNT.**

**Some of this story is mine but while I was writing it I finally got around to reading my private messages and found and idea from ****Octorbersky69**** so I want to share the credit. **

**Sorry it took me so long to get it out here. I usually post one chapter at a time but I hate waiting for updates so I decided to complete the story and post it all at one time. Reviews are still very welcomed.**

**What Would Jane Say?**

**Chapter 1**

"Hey Frankie what do you think Jane would say if I asked Maura out?" Tommy asked as he and Tommy left the liquor store on their way to Maura's for dinner.

"I know it would probably piss her off." Frankie answered as he started the car.

"Why would she get mad? She doesn't control who Maura wants to date does she?"

"Man are you blind?" Frankie asked incredulously.

"What are you talking about?" Tommy turned towards his older brother with a curious look.

"I can't tell you, you're going to have to find out for yourself."

"Come on Frankie you can't make a comment like that then not tell me what it means." Tommy was almost whining.

"Have you ever watched the way they are together? They are very protective of each other. Hell, Jane has killed a man and almost killed herself to keep Maura safe. They are much closer than most friends are."

"What are you trying to say Frankie?"

"I'm not sure but maybe you should hold off awhile." Frankie said as he turned on to Maura's block.

"Are you trying to tell me that there's something going on between the two of them?" Tommy asked incredulously.

"I'm not sure they can even define their relationship, they may not even be aware of how they feel towards each other but their feelings go very deep."

"So if they aren't going out then Maura's a free agent right?"

"Did you even hear a thing I said?" Frankie turned towards Tommy barely controlling his anger. "You would actually ask Maura out knowing Jane might have feelings for her?"

"Hey if she doesn't have the balls to ask her out I know I do." Tommy hopped out of the car and headed towards Maura's front door. He smiled what he knew was a winning smile when Maura opened the door. He handed Maura the bottle of wine he was carrying and waited.

"Oh Tommy I have always wanted to try this wine." She went up on tip toes to give him a hug. Maura held up the Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. "We'll just put it aside for later. You should not have spent that much though."

Frankie asked from behind them. "How much did it cost?" He looked at Tommy suspiciously.

Tommy smiled slyly. "That one there cost $500."

"Are you serious? You spent $500 for a bottle of wine? Where'd you get that kind of money, last thing I heard you didn't even have a job."

"I'm working for a buddy painting houses and he gave me an advance on my first check." He all but swaggered past Frankie towards Angela. "Hey Ma what's for dinner?"

"Did I just hear you tell Frankie you spent $500 on a bottle of wine? What were you thinking? How are you going to pay your bills? You just got your own apartment and now you're spending money frivolously." She turned away and went back to the kitchen.

"Hey I just wanted to contribute to the meal." Tommy said to no one in particular.

"You just wanted to impress Maura." Frankie said just loud enough for Tommy to hear.

Jane knew she was running late but they made her go to the hospital to get checked out before she could go home and Korsak made sure she went. "Hey Korsak he didn't hurt me that bad and I've had a broken nose before. I have to get to Maura's, she preparing dinner for my family. Why can't I just go home and let Maura check my injuries?"

"Oh I'm sure you would love to have Maura check over more than your injuries." Korsak laughed at the look on Jane's face.

"Vincent Korsak I told you that in strict confidence. You better not have told anyone else." Jane tried to slap him on the arm but she cringed in pain.

"See you can't even slap me. You must be hurting if you can't even slap me." Korsak was still smiling.

"Hey if Frost hadn't been throwing up in the bushes I might not have gotten hurt at all. He gave our position away and then King Kong comes crashing through the trees and grabs me. I didn't even have time to fight back before I was flat on my back being kicked by a size 14 steel toed boot. You should have seen Frost when he jumped on his back to get him off me. He swung him around like a rag doll. All it did was piss him off even more and he threw him over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground. It was almost worth getting hurt to see him go flying through the air." She tried to laugh but grabbed her side in pain.

"Yeah well at least I know how to fall without breaking anything." Jane turned to see Frost walking back out to the waiting room. "It's your turn, the doctor said go on in he's waiting."

Jane stood then turned to Korsak. "You guys can head home I'll be fine." Then she almost ran through the door Frost had just come out of. "Hey Doc can you just give me some pills so I can get out of here. I'm supposed to be at a friend's house for dinner. That friend is a doctor so if I need any stitches or anything she can do it. All I need are a few pills for the headache and I'm outta here."

"I see from your medical records that you've spent quite a bit of time in our ER. Are you accident prone?"

Jane bristled at his tone. He was treating her as if she were an idiot, well sometimes she was an idiot but this ass didn't know that. "Did you also notice that my medical records say I'm a Detective with the Boston PD? In case you didn't know some of us do have jobs that are dangerous and we get dirty." She looked down at her torn shirt. "Not all of us have cushy desk jobs like you." She took pride in the look of shock on his face. "Now just give me the damn pills so I can get out of here. I've been hurt worse so I know a few days rest will take care of things."

"You know you will have to sign an AMA form don't you?" The doctor asked as he pulled out a prescription pad. "Are you always this insolent or is it just with me?"

"Well Doc tonight it's you. Maybe if you treated me like the adult that I am instead of an idiot I would treat you like the doctor you are instead of the asshole you're coming across as. And yes I will sign your Against Medical Advice form if that's what it takes to get out of here."

"Do you need a letter to get you out of work for a few days?" He asked politely and Jane smiled at his change of attitude.

"See Doc this is what it should be like. Give and take on both sides." She gestured between the two of them. "You ask me the questions and I answer then you tell me to go home and rest. It's Friday and I have the weekend free so I should be ok by Monday but maybe a letter would be ok if I don't feel up to work on Monday. Thanks Doc." She gave him her winning smile and he actually blushed.

"Ok here's a prescription for a few Vicodin and a letter to give to your supervisor." He handed her the two sheets of paper. "You do realize your nose is broken don't you?"

She smiled at him again. "I kind of figured it was but I have someone at home who has set it before and I know my ribs are bruised maybe even broken but what can you do about that beside wrap it up I can do that in my sleep so don't worry about me."

"Ok then I'll send the nurse in with the forms for you to sign and then you can leave. You can get dressed now too." Without giving Jane a chance to say anything else he turned and left.

Jane got dressed then sat on the table and was sitting there swinging her legs back and forth when the nurse came in with the rest of the paperwork. After Jane signed what felt like 50 different forms she was allowed to leave. She almost ran out to the waiting room where she wasn't surprised to see both Korsak and Frost still sitting. "What? Did you guys think I would run out as soon as you left? See I got the papers from the doctor telling me to rest for a couple of days and if I hurry I can still make it to Maura's for desert. Thanks for waiting I really appreciate it. Now get out of here."

"You gunna be ok?" Korsak asked in a gentle way that made Jane almost start to cry.

"Hey I'm tougher than that." She walked up and gave him an awkward hug. Over his shoulder she winked at Frost. "Now you guys head home while I head over to Maura's." She pulled out her phone as they all walked out of the hospital. "Korsak can you give Frost a lift so I can take my car?" Korsak nodded as she headed towards her car dialing her phone. "Hey Maura I'm running late, I guess you already figured that out." She listened as Maura laughed on the other end of the line and she felt the same shiver run through her body her laugh always caused.

"I'm sorry you're running late, we'll hold dinner until you get here."

Jane listened to the only voice that could calm her nerves in the worst of times and rattle them at the same time. "Naw go ahead and start. I have to head home to shower and change clothes so it might be awhile."

"Why don't you just head over here, you have clothes here and you can take a quick shower while we wait."

"I guess I could do that but you don't have to wait for me. You guys start eating and I'll be there soon." Jane realized her voice had dropped like it always does when she talks to Maura and she hoped Maura hadn't realized the reason behind it.

"Ok then we'll see you in a few minutes then?" Maura loved it when Jane's voice dropped like it just did. It sounded so sensual. She wished she could tell Jane how she felt about her but she was afraid it would ruin the relationship the two of them shared now. She didn't see the look that Tommy sent her way while she was talking to Jane, if she had she might have worried but she was too intent on what Jane was saying. Tommy was seething but he tried to keep it to himself.

"Yeah I have to stop along the way but it shouldn't take too long. See you soon." Jane was smiling as she hung up the phone then drove out of the hospital parking lot. She pulled up in front of Maura's house about ½ later and slowly approached the door. It was opened before she even had a chance to open it herself and she smiled up at the welcoming smile on Maura's face but watched as it turned to worry.

"Oh sweetie what happened? Oh you fractured your superior conchae again." Maura grabbed Jane's arm and started to pull her into the house until Jane groaned in pain. "What else is wrong? Have you been to the hospital?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm running late. By the way here's some wine." Jane handed her the bottle of wine she stopped to buy. She felt shivers down her spine when Maura smiled up at her.

"Jane you didn't have to but I'm glad you did. It's my favorite and very thoughtful but right now let's gets somewhere so I can examine you." Those shivers returned tenfold at the prospect of Maura's hands examining her body.

"What have you done this time?" Jane cringed at the tone of her mother's voice as she walked towards her. "Why can't you find yourself a nice quiet desk job where you can meet some nice young man and settle down and give me grandbabies? What kind of man is going to want a wife that comes home bruised and beaten all the time? Why did you ever become a cop? Look what it does to you."

"The only kind I will accept is one who will put up with it. And accept me for who and what I am. But can we not talk about this right now?" Jane dejectedly started walking toward the hallway that led to the spare room any joy at seeing Maura dissipated at the disappointment in her mother's voice.

"Angela can you please put this in the refrigerator while I check on her injuries?" She handed the bottle of wine to Angela and followed after Jane.

"But…" Angela sputtered as she watched Maura hurry after Jane.

"So did Jane get banged up again?" Tommy wasn't smiling as much as he was before Jane got there. "Why isn't she at the hospital having them take care of her instead of bothering Maura?" He was angry because Maura seemed more excited about Jane's cheap bottle of wine than the one he brought. _Ok Jane if you want a fight that's what you'll get. _

"If you noticed the look on Maura's face you would have seen that she was worried but definitely not bothered." Frankie was the one smiling mow. "She always takes care of Jane after something happens to her. Even after Jane goes to the hospital Maura usually checks to make sure she's their diagnosis was right. You know how some people have personal trainers? Well Jane has a personal physician." Frankie was finding it hard to be nice to Tommy after he said he wanted to date Maura knowing how much Jane liked her.

Maura entered the spare bedroom and sat down next to Jane. Jane was bent over with her head resting in her hands. "Aren't you going to tell me how much of a fuck up I am and how I'll never meet the right guy? Like Ma said no one is going to take on a wife that does what I do and wouldn't want to have to take care of me every time it happened."

Maura knelt down in front of Jane and took both of her hands in hers and gently squeezed them to get Jane to look up at her. When Jane finally looked up she was surprised at the loving look Maura was giving her. "That's what I'm here for to take care of you. I am so sorry Jane."

"What are you sorry for? You're here helping me. I'm used to Ma being like this but I'm just not in the mood to deal with it tonight." Jane tried not to pay attention to the hands that were now placed on her knees and gently rubbing back and forth. It was driving her crazy.

"Is she always that hard on you?" Maura couldn't understand how Angela couldn't see how much Jane loved her job and that the injuries came with the job. And how could she put her down when she was already down on herself? Maura constantly worried about Jane but she would never ask her to give up her job.

"Naw, sometimes she's worse. That's why I always try to avoid her after I get injured." She tried to stand up and had to grab her side it hurt so much and she sat back down.

Maura pushed on her thighs then stood up. "Stay where you are. I'm going to get the things I need to clean up your cuts and scrapes then I'll fix your nose again." She almost ran to her bathroom and back.

"I hate to ask you but could you get me a glass of water?" She reached in her pocket to pull out the bottle of pills. "I stopped and had this filled because I thought I'd need them."

"Don't move I'll be right back." Jane watched as she once again ran out of the room. She needed the moment to get into a comfortable position before Maura came back because she didn't want her to see how much pain she really was in. She'd settled in against the pillows just as Maura came running back into the room.

Maura watched as Jane settled against the pillows, she was as white as a sheet which told her she was in much more pain than she let on and for once Maura was not going to say anything. Maura pointed to Jane's nose. "Do you want me to fix that?"

"What no Google speak? Aren't you going to say that my zygomatic orbital bone or something like that is going to be out of alignment or something?"

Maura laughed. "No because that would be incorrect the zygomaticofacial formen is to the left and right. And the orbital is here." She traced the orbital socket around her eyes. Maura melted at the smile Jane's directed at her.

"You just can't help yourself can you?" Jane gave her her best smirk.

Maura smiled back. "You know this is going to hurt, do you want to wait until the pills kick in?" Jane shook her head. Maura smiled down at her. "Do you want something to bite on?"

Jane started laughing then yelped in pain and tried to stop laughing. "Maybe I should do like they did in the old west I could bite on a bullet. No Maura I'll be ok."

"Oh sweetie I didn't mean make you laugh and add to your pain I'm sorry." She leaned over and kissed Jane's forehead. "Let's get this over with." She walked over to shut the door.

Jane almost forgot about the pain when Maura climbed on the bed and straddled her hips then leaned forward to take her nose in both of her hands and snapped the bones together. "Ouch! That hurt more than the last time."

"Well maybe you should stop breaking it and I wouldn't have to keep hurting you."

_I'd break it every day if it meant you'd sit on me like that. _Maura's hands were still on her cheeks and Jane knew she had to move or she might do something stupid like kiss her best friend. "So maybe we should get out there to see what they've been saying about me huh?"

"Not just yet, I haven't checked your other injuries." Maura couldn't believe Jane was just laying there letting her sit on her hips and she loved every minute of it. Maura slowly wiggled herself off of her perch on Jane and watched as Jane's eyes closed and her breath hitched. "Where does it hurt the most?"

"My ribs on the right side. I figured you could just wrap it up and we can forget about it." She winced again as she tried to move.

"Stop moving or you'll hurt yourself even more. Can you remove your shirt so I can get a good look at your ribs?" Jane reached down and started to pull the hem of the shirt up but winced in pain. 'Stop! I'll take care of it." Maura gently removed Jane's hands from the hem of her shirt and replaced them with her own. Slowly she raised the shirt and gasped when she saw the bruises on Jane's abdomen. All thoughts of what she'd like to be doing to Jane right now were gone. Her hands continued the slow ascent of the shirt and could not believe that Jane was just sitting there as if she were fine when she had to be in a tremendous amount of pain. "Oh Jane you must be in so much pain." When Maura looked up at Jane she couldn't hide the tears in her eyes. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

Jane gently reached up and wiped the tears from Maura's face. "You always seem to know how to make me feel better."

"That's all I've ever wanted to do Jane. Help to ease whatever bothers you. Stay here I have some cream that will help make this feel better and make the bruises fade faster." Once again she ran from the room and Jane tried to calm her nerves. She wasn't sure what was going on but if she didn't get out of this room she might live to regret it. Maura came rushing back in with the tube of lotion and stopped in the doorway. "Jane are you ok?" Maura reached up and felt Jane's forehead. "My god you're burning up, we need to get that fever down. Why didn't you tell me you were running a fever?"

"I just thought it was a reaction to everything that's happened tonight. Sorry." She once again hung her head.

"Don't apologize for something that was out of your hands. I need to check your injuries because they could be causing the fever. Are you having any problems breathing?"

_Only when you get this close to me, or when you sit on top of me. _"Only when I take a deep breath."

Maura gently probed Jane's ribcage and stilled her hands when Jane hissed in pain. "I can't be sure if they are broken or not but we'll wrap them because it will make them feel a little better." Jane nodded. "Let me apply some of this cream and then get you settled in." Jane started to protest until she felt Maura's hand rubbing the cream on her bruises. She found her new favorite feeling. Maura's hand on her ribcage was so gentle and it almost lulled her to sleep. She tried to sit up but Maura stilled her with a hand in the middle of her chest. "I will tell your family that you're just not up to visiting tonight and ask them to leave then I can bring you a plate of food and I also have an anti-inflammatory you can take to help with the fever."

God she loved this woman. "How do you do that?"

"Do what Jane?" Maura smiled tenderly down at the woman who has owned her heart from the first day they met.

"Make me feel better with the slightest of touches." Jane took Maura's hand in hers and squeezed it.

"Because I know you Jane. Now let me wrap up those ribs so you can get somewhat comfortable."

Jane pointed to the bag she was given at the hospital. "There's a new bandage in there that you can use. The jerk of a doctor I saw wasn't even going to give me one but the nurse gave me one knowing I would need it."

"I wish you had called me when you first got to the hospital or even before so I could have been there for you." Maura said it in a way that Jane knew she wasn't saying it out of anger because Jane didn't call but because she truly wanted to be there for Jane.

"That's why I didn't call. I know how much these dinners mean to you and I knew you would have dropped everything and come to the hospital and I didn't want to ruin your night any worse than I already did."

Maura watched as Jane's eyes began to droop from the pills kicking in. "Sit up so I can wrap you up then I'll make your excuses to your family and I'll be back in." She expertly wrapped her ribs then once again ran to the bathroom and brought back a couple of pills. She handed them to Jane then handed her the glass of water. "Now lay down and I'll go talk to your family."

"Why is she still in there?" Tommy asked, obviously upset that Maura is spending all of her time with Jane.

"Well little brother it could be that she tending to Jane's injuries and knowing Maura the way I do she's more than likely being very thorough." He gave Tommy a smile that he knew conveyed what he thought Maura might also be doing.

Angela watched the play between her two sons and wondered why they both appeared upset. "What is wrong with the two of you?"

"We came here to have dinner with Maura and Jane is monopolizing all of her time." Tommy was almost whining.

"The two of them are always like this and you would have known that if you'd been around instead of in prison." She took a spoonful of cannoli.

Frankie stared at her as if she had grown a second head. This was as close as she had ever come to being negative about anything Tommy has ever done. She even made excuses after he was sent to prison. _He made a mistake. If Father Crowly could forgive him for running him over so can we. It wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been drinking. It was an accident. _He'd heard every excuse known to man come out of his mother's mouth when it came to Tommy so to hear her criticize was a shock. "Yeah, who knows what goes on behind closed doors when it comes to those two."

"Jane's not feeling well so she's lying down." Maura said as she entered the room.

"Is she ok? Do I need to check on her?" Angela asked with concern.

"Is she going to be ok? I know she's tough but she looked pretty beat up when she walked in." Frankie asked with equal concern.

"Does that mean you can sit down and join us for desert now?" Tommy asked with a smile on his face. Everyone turned to Tommy with different looks on their faces but all expressed disappointment. "What? You have to be hungry by now? Jane's sleeping so you can eat now right?"

"No Tommy I'm not going to sit here and eat as if my best friend is not in the other room in pain. I told her I would come out and let all of you know that she was going to rest and that she was sorry she screwed up the evening. Now I am going to check on her and be available if she needs me."

"So are you asking us to leave?" Tommy asked incredulously.

"Yes Tommy that's exactly what I'm asking." She smiled as Frankie and Angela started to clear the dishes from the table. "That's ok Angela I can take care of that later. I'll probably stay up so I can check on her to make sure there is no concussion."

Angela walked over and put her hand on Maura's arm. "It looks like you are going to have a long night so just let us do this and you can take care of Jane. Lord knows she listens to you." Maura smiled at Angela in thanks.

"I'm going to make up a plate and bring it in to her." Maura headed towards the kitchen.

"I thought you said she was lying down, shouldn't you let her rest? We could play chess and then you'd be available if she woke up. We could drink the wine I brought while we played." Tommy smiled up at Maura with a hopeful look on his face.

"As stimulating as a game of chess would be I would much rather be with Jane in case she needs me and I definitely don't want to be drinking in case I need to take her back to the hospital." She watched as Tommy's smile slowly receded and she wondered why her not playing chess would sadden him but she couldn't worry about that right now.

"Maura you just do what you always do, take care of Jane and we'll take care of all of this." Frankie took a fiendish delight in watching Tommy's face fall at the prospect of not being alone with Maura. "Hey Bro maybe we should take your wine to my place and watch the ballgame."

Tommy gave him an evil glare and stood to help clean the table. He watched as Maura prepared a plate for Jane and wondered what he had to do to get Maura to pay this much attention to him. Maybe if he got hurt…naw bad idea. Maybe he could come over tomorrow and see if she wanted to go out, she might need a rest after taking care of Jane all day. It was Saturday after all. He walked out to the kitchen so he would be away from the prying eyes of Frankie. "Hey Maura would you like to go out for breakfast or something tomorrow. You would probably like a break from taking care of Jane."

"Why would I need a break from Jane?" She asked confusedly because leaving Jane would never cross her mind and she was clearly surprised that Tommy would think she would. "Jane and I spend most of our weekends together so this is no different except I may get my way for a change instead of Jane getting her way all of the time. I can never say no to her. Even when she is injured I enjoy her company immensely."

"I just thought maybe you'd like to get out of the house for awhile." Tommy said matter of factly even though his stomach was turning because it looked like Maura preferred to spend time with Jane over him.

Maura walked over and placed her hand on Tommy's arm, much the same way that Angela had done earlier, and looked him in the eye. "Tommy you don't have to worry about me needing a break from taking care of Jane. I know what she needs and she seems to think I'm the only one capable of caring for her. And I love to take care of her. I'm sure Jane and I will find something to keep us busy. She needs her rest right now and I'm going to make sure she gets it. But it's sweet that you would think of helping me like that." She removed her hand and went back to getting a plate ready for Jane.

Tommy watched as she picked up the plate and followed her out to the dining room then frowned as she headed back to the spare bedroom and shut the door behind her. "I'm going home." He headed for the front door.

"I thought you were going to help us clean the table?" Frankie asked knowing he had no intention of helping and what little he had done gave him the excuse to go to the kitchen and talk to Maura alone. "Don't forget the wine, maybe you can get your money back."

"Naw I'll leave it here and Maura and I can drink it some other time when we're alone." He opened the door and walked out and slammed the door shut behind him.

"What was that all about? Why is he so mad?" Angela was still trying to figure out what was going on around her.

"He's trying to ask Maura out but Jane screwed everything up. He bought the wine hoping to impress Maura."

"Oooh Jane's not going to like that." Frankie looked at the sly smile on his mother's face and wondered if she knew something. "This sure could be fun to sit back and watch though couldn't it?" She turned a full watt smile to Frankie as if they shared a secret.

"Ma do you know something I don't know?" He watched her stack a pile of plates and take them to the kitchen. He hurriedly stacked some things of his own and followed her out to the kitchen. "Ma what do you know?" She looked like she was trying hard not to say anything and he knew if he kept at her long enough she would break. "I know Jane and Maura care for each other but is it more than that?"

She finally turned to Frankie with a big grin on her face that was so much like Jane's when they were kids and she told him something he wasn't supposed to know but she couldn't help but tell him. "I don't know for sure but have you ever watched the way they look at each other when they don't think anyone is watching? Especially when they know the other one's not watching them." Frankie nodded because he knew exactly what she was talking about. "There's so much love in their eyes and I had always hoped that someday I could call Maura my daughter for real. I've watched the way Tommy looks at Maura and there is no love there it's just lust and I don't like that he doesn't really appreciate her like Jane does. From the looks of things I don't think Maura is at all interested in anything but taking care of Jane. I just hope Jane makes her move before Maura changes her mind."

"How is it that you've kept this all to yourself, we could have been having so much fun at their expense." Frankie walked over and gave her a big hug. "So what are we going to do about it?"

"Well let's just sit back and see what happens, if things don't go our way then we'll have to do something to change the course of things." She gave Frankie the smile of a coconspirator. "You do want Jane and Maura together right?" She hadn't thought about that.

"Oh yeah, it's almost painful to watch the two of them together. Sometimes I just want to scream at them to just kiss and get it out of the way. So we just watch and see where it goes huh?" Angela just nodded her head. "Ok I'm going to head home then." He kissed her on the cheek. G'night Ma."

"Good night Frankie I'll call you tomorrow, if not I'll see you at work."

"Ok Ma." He headed for the door and Angela finished cleaning things up and locked the doors before she headed to the guesthouse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Maura sat on what she considered her side of the bed and tried to read the latest Journal of Medicine while Jane slept fitfully next to her. She worried whenever Jane moved because she would give a small groan as if she were in pain but she still slept. She was still curious as to what had happened to cause these injuries and she had hoped to ask her before she fell asleep but it was not to be. She could be patient, she was always patient when it came to Jane. She'd been sitting there for about three hours when her eyes started to close. She shook herself awake long enough to place the journal on the bedside table and lower herself so she was laying down on the bed and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

"Ouch! Shit!" Maura woke a few hours later when she heard Jane and opened her eyes. She was looking directly into Jane's eyes only inches away from hers. "I got hungry and saw this plate on the bedside table and stupidly thought I could reach over you and get it without waking you and now I'm stuck here and it's really hurts. Can you help me lay back down?" She tried to smile but it came out a grimace instead and she couldn't help but stare at Maura's lips.

Maura was still in shock to be this close to Jane and it wouldn't take much to kiss the lips that were mere inches from hers and it took everything inside her to break the spell. She licked her lips then slid out from under Jane so she could take most of Jane's weight and help her roll over. "Why didn't you wake me so I could have helped you?"

"Because I woke up and forgot for a minute that I was hurt and saw how peaceful you looked sleeping and didn't want to wake you. By the time I got to the position I was in it hurt too much to move either way. But the view more than made up for the pain. Do you know you're beautiful when you sleep? Not that you're not beautiful all of the time but when you sleep you are so peaceful and you don't have any makeup on and you are so beautiful." Jane was almost whispering as she was talking and she watched as Maura blushed. "Now can I have some food I'm starving?" She wanted to break the tension before she did something that would probably push Maura away from her.

"Thank you Jane, no one has ever said anything that sweet to me. Let me go warm this up for you." She started to get out of the bed.

Jane automatically reached for her and winced in pain and dropped her arm. "That's ok. I'm used to eating cold food especially Ma's cannoli and gnocchi." Maura took the plate from the bedside table and took a spoonful and fed it to Jane. Jane had a hard time swallowing because the gesture was something she'd always thought was very personal and shared between lovers and she'd give anything if this was the case with Maura.

Maura hadn't even thought before she moved the spoon to feed Jane but as she removed it from Jane's mouth she stared as Jane licked the spoon clean. Oh my god she is going to be the death of me. She imagined all of the other things she wanted that tongue to do to her and felt it all the way to her core. She finally broke out of her reverie when Jane cleared her throat. Maura shook her head and lifted another spoonful to Jane's mouth.

If I didn't hurt so much I would rip that plate from her hands and throw her down on the bed and have my way with her and make sure she enjoyed every minute of it. She knew she could feed herself but why not play this out until the end. She opened her mouth to receive the next spoonful never taking her eyes off of Maura's face and was pleased to see that Maura was not unaffected by this little game they were playing either. She reached up and held Maura's wrist as she started to pull the spoon out, she allowed the spoon to barely leave her mouth before she sucked it back in and licked it clean then opened her mouth just far enough for the spoon to be pulled out. She watched as Maura's eyes never left her lips and then was pleased when they turned a shade darker.

Maura cleared her throat and knew she had to do something to stop this before she jumped her best friend. "Jane…" She tried to speak but had to clear her throat again. "Will you tell me what happened tonight to cause these injuries?"

Jane laid back and let Maura continue to feed her and told her the story. "You know that case we were working on last week? The one where the woman was shot and killed by her boyfriend and then he took off?" Maura nodded remembering the bruises and broken bones covering old bruises and broken bones on the beautiful woman. "Well we got a tip as to where he was and we headed over there. We couldn't find him in the house so we were checking the grounds outside when we came upon the body of the homeowner. Frost gave us away when her threw up and the guy jumped out of the bushes and threw me to the ground and started kicking me." She stopped long enough to eat some more of the cannoli and closed her eyes in pleasure. "Did I mention this guy was a giant? He was huge. Frost jumped on his back and he made Frost look small as he was trying to hold on to the behemoth. They guy reached up behind him and swung Frost over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground. I stood up just as he swung around and he slammed his fist into my nose. Frost pulled out his gun and held it up against the guys head and that pretty much put an end to things. Cavanaugh made both of us get checked out before we could go home and of course Korsak made sure we did. So the three of us spent the last 2 hours in the emergency room."

"I know how much you love your job and I have no right to tell you how to do it but you scare me sometimes. I was hoping tonight that you had gotten hung up doing paperwork all the while worrying that it was more than that. I worry about you all of the time but you wouldn't be you if you did the job any other way. And I would never ask less of you and as I said I have no right to ask it of you. I just wanted you to know that I care about what happens to you."

"I know you care Maura and I'm sorry I scare you but I've dreamt my whole life of being a cop. Two of the most memorable days in my life were the day I graduated from the academy and the day I got my gold shield. Another day I will always remember was the day I met you. Our friendship means more to me than almost anything in my life but I won't change myself for anyone. If people can't accept me for who I am then they aren't worth having for a friend."

Maura placed a finger on her lips to stop her from saying anything else. "Jane I said I was not trying to change you. I know better than that. I knew from the first day I met you that you were a force to be reckoned with. And from that day I have admired you for all that you've accomplished and I know better than to ever try to change you. Even though I worry I never want you to change because what you do is so much a part of who you are. Now go back to sleep it's the middle of the night." Maura smiled down at her tenderly.

"Will you stay with me?" Jane looked up at her with her big puppy dog eyes and Maura knew she could not deny this woman anything.

"Always." She lay down and pulled the covers up over both of them and finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

"Damn that sun sure is bright. Aw fuck! That hurts." Jane rolled away from Maura and tried to stand up but flopped back on the bed with a groan then a yelp of pain.

"Jane I do believe I prefer the sound of the alarm to your profanity to wake me in the morning." Maura sat up and watched Jane trying to stand up. "Are you ok? Do you want some help?" She waited, knowing Jane was always reluctant to ask anyone for help but for some reason she allows Maura in where no others are allowed.

"I guess for a minute I forgot about my ribs again but that didn't last long. Can you come around to this side and give me a hand?" She asked shyly and Maura knew what it took out of Jane to ask.

Maura knelt down in front of Jane and used one finger to lift her lowered chin. "Jane you know you don't always have to be the strong one with me. I know how strong you are, you don't have to prove anything to me so don't worry about asking for my help." Maura stood up and wrapped her arm around Jane's good side and took most of her weight on her shoulder and helped Jane up from the bed. "Where are you headed?"

"The bathroom." Maura watched as she limped out of the room and down the hallway.

Maura's heart swelled with love for her strong courageous friend. But she also worried; she worried that one day Jane would not come out on the lucky side as she has in the past. She worried that she would get the call that she dreads and she didn't think she would ever recover from that. The thought of going through the rest of her life without Jane being a part of it was unfathomable. She felt she should tell Jane how she felt about her but she was afraid it would drive her away. She knows how much Jane has fought to get to where she is within the department and knew that if she were lucky enough to have Jane return her feelings Jane might look at it as a setback if she were to come out to her coworkers. She shook herself from the negative thought and went to the other bathroom and got ready for the day.

Maura was in the kitchen preparing the coffee when Jane walked in. She looked up and almost dropped the spoon she was measuring the coffee with. Jane stood there with her shirt hanging open with a forlorn look on her face. She held up the ace bandage as if it were an alien creature. "I thought I could put it on without any help but I can't do it. Will you help me?"

Maura quickly walked around the cooking island. "Oh Jane why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Because I'm stubborn." She gave Maura a smirk. "Can you just wrap it up and I'll help you with breakfast ok?"

She spoke as she was wrapping the bandage around Jane's ribs and tried very hard to ignore the little slip of white that covered Jane breasts and was failing miserably. "So are you feeling better this morning?" She watched the rise and fall of Jane's chest and imagined what it would be like to take one of those pert nipples into her mouth. She was trying as hard as she could to not touch Jane's skin and realized it's not easy to do as you are wrapping someone's ribs. She heard Jane's breathing hitch when she did actually touch her and she bowed her head so Jane didn't see the small smile on her face.

"A little. Can I help with breakfast?" Jane gestured towards the preparations for eggs.

Maura was reluctant to say yes because she like the kitchen to herself when she was cooking but it was Jane and she liked having her close. "Of course if you're up to it." She smiled up at Jane as she finished the wrapping.

They made breakfast and worked well together as if they'd been doing it for years. "I like this." Jane said while they were getting ready to cook the eggs.

"What is it you are referring to Jane? You'll have to be a little more precise that that?" Maura decided she liked having Jane in her kitchen helping her cook.

"You and I cooking together. Usually when I'm here you cook and at my house I cook for you. Why is it we've never done this together?" Jane stopped chopping the onions for the omelet and rested her hip against the counter and faced Maura.

"I don't know about you Jane but I usually prefer to work alone when I am cooking. I don't like to share my kitchen. But you make cooking enjoyable as you do everything in life. I tried it once with someone I was dating and all we did was get in each other's way. But we work well together, almost as if we anticipate the other's moves and it makes sharing my kitchen a pleasurable experience."

"I feel the same way about my kitchen. It's my domain, the part of my house I don't like sharing but you're welcome there anytime. How much of this do you want in your eggs?" She held up the cutting board with the chopped onions and waved it under Maura's nose.

"If I had my druthers I would pour all of them in but that would over power all of the other ingredients and ruin the perfect omelet." Maura poured the eggs into the pan then reached for the salt and pepper. "Why don't you add what you think would be an appropriate amount." Maura watched as Jane reached up into one of the cupboards above them and pulled down different spices. She secretly liked the idea that Jane felt this comfortable in her kitchen and loved the confidence with which she cooked. "What are you doing Jane?"

"Secret Rizzoli recipe. But if I told you the secret what would you need me for?"

"Oh Jane I'll always need you." Maura turned her head away from Jane lest she be able to see that she meant it more that she realized. "Um…here in my kitchen that is."

Maura didn't see the quick look of hurt flit across Jane's face. Jane decided to play it safe and hide behind the joking she always used. "You trying to tell me you only love me because I can cook? Well I'll tell you, many a man has fallen at my feet for far less than my cooking." Jane turned and continued adding a dash of this and a pinch of that to make the omelet.

"Now that I would believe." Maura laughed at Jane's joking. She added the last of the vegetables and folded the sides over the middle. She expertly flipped the omelet over to seal the edges then transferred it to a large plate. "There's your food now go sit down and eat it while it's still hot." Jane looked as if she was ready to fall over.

Jane took the plate and set it aside. "Let's make yours really quick so we can eat together."

"Jane I can see that you are in pain so quit being so stubborn and go sit down. I will join you as soon as I am done." Maura looked at the determined look on Jane's face and knew she was going to have to resort to some underhanded tactics. "Please?" She smiled up at Jane and pouted.

"Oh you do not play fair Maura Isles. I will sit down but I will not eat." Jane carefully picked up her plate and headed to the table. She was glad she could sit because she was not about to tell Maura how bad she really felt. But she felt better than yesterday. Before she got comfortable she headed back out to the kitchen to add the spices then smirked at Maura. "Just wanted you to experience the Rizzoli secret recipe."

"How did you sleep I kept waking up to check on you to make sure you were ok." She smiled down at Jane as she placed her own plate on the table then went back and poured two glasses of orange juice and brought them back to the table. "Bon appétit." She said to Jane as the doorbell rang. "Who could that be at this hour?" She headed for the door and looked through the peep hole then reluctantly opened the door.

Tommy walked right in and turned towards Maura. "I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to go out for breakfast."

"I'm sorry, Jane and I were just about to sit down to eat." She gestured towards Jane sitting at the table.

Tommy tried to tamp down his jealousy as he turned to see Jane sitting at the table in shorts and a t-shirt as if she belonged there. "Good I'll join you then." He headed for the table before Maura could stop him.

"I didn't hear Maura offer an invitation." Jane gave her brother what she hoped was a cordial smile knowing she didn't feel the least bit cordial.

"Jane we've never had to wait for invitations before and Maura's family right?" He turned to Maura hoping to see her usual smile that meant it was ok but none was forthcoming.

"Tommy this is Maura's home and you are a visitor and it would be in your best interest to act like one. Maura's not used to living like we do and you can't just come barging in. We are lucky she lets us have our weekly family dinners here. You can't treat her home as if it were your own." Jane looked at Maura and hoped she wasn't doing anything wrong. She smiled when she saw the barely perceptible nod from Maura.

"You do it!" Tommy was almost whining and it wasn't pretty.

"How long have you known Maura? What 3 months? Maybe a little more? I've known her for 6 years and we have a relationship that has earned me the right to come in and I know when to cut my losses and leave." She hoped he took the hint. "And I only use me key in emergencies. Something you and Ma do not seem to grasp the meaning of."

"Since when do you speak for Maura? Maybe she wants me to stay." He turned to Maura hopefully. "Do you want me to leave Maura?" He walked up and stood inches from her. He looked into her beautiful hazel eyes and knew he had lost this round.

"Yes Tommy I would like it if you left and in the future I would like you to not assume anything. I appreciate that this time you did knock but as you can see I am otherwise engaged this morning and you assumed that just because breakfast was already prepared that you were welcome. That is a false assumption. Now Jane and I would like to get to our breakfast before it gets cold."

"What about some chess later?" Jane had to give him credit for his perseverance but she still didn't like it.

"I don't think so. Jane needs her rest and I had planned a quiet day for the two of us."

"What's quieter than playing chess and how would it bother her?"

Oh if he only knew how much he was bothering her now and how the thought of him and Maura sitting in the dining room made her want to kill him with her bare hands or throw up which ever happened first. Through clenched teeth Jane answered for Maura. "Tommy I do believe that question was asked and answered and that your presence here is not wanted at this time." Jane got up slowly and winced and Tommy watched as Maura ran to her side and helped her

stand.

"Ok I'll call later to see if you want to do something." He turned to walk out the door but stopped when Maura called his name and turned around with a smile on his face.

"Tommy, maybe we should just put off doing anything until Jane is back on her feet and back at work?" Maura was trying to let him down easy and Jane wasn't making it easy. Tommy gave Jane a scathing look over Maura's shoulder before he turned around and left. Maura swung around and gave Jane a scathing look of her own. "What is it between the two of you? He's your brother for god's sake!" Maura said as she walked past Jane to the table to resume eating. She took a bite of the eggs and quickly raised her napkin to her mouth and spit it out. "This tastes horrible."

Jane gave her a hurt look. "You didn't like the eggs? Did I spice it up too much for your taste?" She still felt the sting of Maura's words.

Maura reached over and placed her hand on Jane's arm. "Oh no Jane it's just gotten cold since Tommy arrived. I'm sure it would have tasted great but now it's cold."

Maura melted at the smile Jane gave her. "Ah my dear doctor they have this new invention that is designed to heat up cold food it's called a Microwave. It even gives you an option as to how long you would like to cook said food. We won't need much time since they just recently turned cold." Jane stood to reach for both plates but winced in pain. Maura moved to help her. "No I got it Maura." She held up her hand so Maura would stay seated.

"Jane you need to rest and I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you not the other way around." She followed behind Jane knowing she was not getting through to the stubborn detective so she may as well follow to catch her when she falls.

Jane made it to the kitchen and placed the dishes into the microwave and set the time and started the machine. When she turned towards Maura there was no condemnation in her eyes so Jane took the time to rest. She closed her eyes and took as deep a breath as she could then muttered under her breath.

"What was that Jane I didn't hear you?" Maura took the opportunity to get closer to Jane.

"I guess I deserve it." Jane hung her head in defeat. When she heard the ding of the microwave she didn't even bother to reach for the plates because she knew it would hurt too much. "Anyone else would have said I told you so as soon as I got to the kitchen."

"I will if it will make you feel better but I'm not sure what I told you that you want to hear again." Jane looked at the bewildered look on Maura's face and didn't think she'd ever seen anything cuter.

"Never mind, can you grab the plates so we can eat?" She walked ahead of Maura and was holding Maura's chair for her when she went to sit down. Maura smiled up at her and Jane took her seat across from her and they started eating.

"Oh Jane this is delicious you are going to have to show me what spices you used so I can duplicate it. It is very pleasing to the palate." Maura had her eyes closed as she savored the taste and Jane almost stopped breathing at the look of pure joy on Maura's face. Maura opened her eyes and Jane quickly turned away.

"I'm glad you like it but I can't show you because I just threw the stuff in there. That's how I cook I just throw spices in that I think will go good together and hope it turns out right. Unless I'm using one of Ma's recipes then I follow her recipes but add a little here and there but I want my food to taste just like hers."

"Are you serious? You don't keep track of what you use?" Jane just shook her head. "Are you as good as your mother?"

"Only with a few of the dishes. There are a couple that I think taste better but don't tell Ma."

"I had no idea that you cooked." Maura had placed a hand on Jane's arm as she was speaking. "Will you cook for me?" Maura asked in almost a whisper.

Jane looked at the smile on Maura's face and knew she would do just about anything for this woman. "Of course I will. When I regain my strength I will cook you a dinner fit for a queen." She stood up and moved away from Maura because she knew she was far too close to her for her own peace of mind.

They spent most of the day just being lazy. They watched movies and a couple of Maura's documentaries. Jane fell asleep with her head on Maura's lap and Maura sat contentedly stroking her fingers through her hair. She didn't even pay attention to what was on TV, she was entranced by the peaceful look on Jane's face. She was so used to the energy that Jane exuded when she was awake so it was a rare opportunity to see her like this.

She sat like that until Jane woke about 2 hours later and looked up at Maura who was staring down at her. "What? Am I drooling or something?" She reached up and wiped her mouth in case she had.

"No you are not drooling. I'm just not used to seeing you like this, relaxed and at peace. You have great lines did you know that? I would love to have my mother paint you some day, would you allow that?" Maura's fingers were still stroking her hair.

Jane actually felt herself blushing. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because you are a beautiful woman and I think my mother would do justice to the classic lines of your face." Maura reached down and traced her fingers along her chin. "I love this cleft in your mental protuberance. Did you know they also refer to the cleft as a superhero chin? That fits you. You have such a strong inferior maxillary bone structure and the maxilla is in perfect proportion with the rest of your facial structure." She gently ran her finger just above her upper lip


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Jane didn't move a muscle while she watched Maura's face. She looked almost as if she was in a trance as she ran her fingers across the different bones, besides she was enjoying the feel of Maura touching her too much to break the spell.

"And your zygomatic structure is one of the best I have had the pleasure of touching. Most women use makeup to augment the zygomatic bones so they would look like yours and you need nothing to enhance yours." Maura had a feather light touch and it was driving Jane crazy. "And your nasal bones, even though they've been broken twice, form the most beautiful nose I have ever had the pleasure of resetting. And your supraorbital process looks it's best at times like these when you are more relaxed and not frowning. And your glabella is going to form a permanent groove because you frown so much." Her fingers traced her brows and the spot between them."

Jane was having a very hard time keeping her hands to herself but suddenly she couldn't take it anymore. She jumped up and away from Maura faster than she had intended. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "You have to stop doing that."

"Did I do something wrong?" Maura was genuinely concerned.

"No, no you didn't. I was…it was…I was starting to fall asleep again and it's too early to sleep yet." It sounded lame even to her own ears considering she had already fallen asleep on Maura but she seemed to buy it.

"Maybe it's your body trying to tell you something and you should listen to it." Maura walked over to where Jane was standing but Jane backed away and hoped Maura didn't notice. "Shall I give you a backrub?" She continued to follow Jane.

Jane finally turned and walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door and leaned in. "You want some wine? I'm going to have a beer." Jane yelped when she felt Maura's hand on her back, she thought she had stayed in the living room. She jumped and smacked her head on the bottom of the freezer door above her head.

"Oh Jane I'm sorry. Are you ok? Let me look at it." She reached to touch Jane's hair.

Jane gently pushed Maura's hands away and squeezed around her to stand in the middle of the kitchen. "Maura you can't just sneak up on someone like that."

"I didn't sneak up; I was right behind you the whole time. Are you sure you are ok?"

Jane opened the beer she had grabbed and took three soothing gulps before she answered. "Yes Maura I am fine. I think there might be a Sox game on tonight let's check ok?"

"You really shouldn't be drinking beer with the medications you are taking." Maura said as she poured herself a glass of water. "You go sit and I'll be in soon."

Jane set the beer on the countertop then left wondering if Maura was mad at her but she knew she needed to stay away from her or she would lose her friendship. She sat down on the couch and burrowed herself into one corner then crossed her legs in front of her. She hoped Maura would choose the other corner so the temptation stayed away. She knew she wasn't far from giving in to it.

Maura rested both hands on the counter and leaned forward taking deep breaths. She couldn't believe how wonderful and right it felt to touch Jane the way she had been touching her. She had been so tempted to touch even more of Jane's body but thankfully Jane had jumped up and moved away. Did Jane have any idea what her just being in the same room did to her senses? Did she have the strength to stay away from her best friend? She took a deep breath and turned and walked back into the living room. "Jane I'm going to take a shower. Enjoy your game." She didn't stop for Jane's reaction but continued to the safety and privacy of her bedroom and the walk in shower with multiple shower heads.

Jane sat in the living room and listened to the water running in Maura's private bathroom. She had completely lost interest in the game as she thought about Maura's and the water running over the body she had had many a fantasy about. She sat there and thought about how many times while she had been in her own shower and thought about what was going through her mind right now. "That's it! I don't care." She stood up and headed for Maura's room shedding her clothes along the way. She quietly opened the bathroom door and saw that Maura had her back to her and her head was under the water. She had known that Maura had a good body but this was beyond her imagination. She had a gorgeous body that was curved in all the right places and very well proportioned. She carefully open the shower door and walked in.

Maura turned when she felt the cold air on her body and froze. Standing in front of her was the answer to all of her prayers. She took her time to take in the beauty before her and when she looked in Jane's eye she saw what she knew was reflected in her own. Desire! Pure unadulterated desire. She took the few steps that separated them and wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and laid her head on her chest.

Jane took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulders and spoke quietly. "Maura I need to know if you want this as much as I do. Because if you don't I just made the biggest mistake of my life and I'll get dressed and leave right now." She held her breath waiting for Maura's response.

Maura knew how hard it had to have been for Jane to open herself up as much as she had and she wasn't going to make her suffer. She leaned her head back and took Jane's face between her two hands and stood on her tip toes and brought their lips together for the first time. It was a gentle and loving kiss that was filled with promise. She pulled back and smiled up at Jane. "Does that answer your question?"

"I would say that more than answers my question." She couldn't stop the smile from breaking out on her face. She leaned down and placed a kiss on Maura's forehead. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to kiss you. I have come so close so many times but I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same and I would lose your friendship. I want you so bad." She placed her hand behind Maura's head and pulled her mouth towards her own and the kiss quickly went from a chaste kiss to a duel for control. Jane's hands were everywhere on Maura's body. When she finally took one of Maura's breasts in her hand there was an audible moan from both women. When they both came up for air Jane reluctantly stepped back and took a deep breath. "As much as I am enjoying myself and would like nothing more than to take this further we need to talk."

"What is there to talk about? I want you and you want me and have for a very long time." She reached forward to touch Jane again.

Jane took both of her hands in her own to stop her. "Maura you mean to much to me to just jump into bed. I want so much more and that's what we need to talk about. Please? Let's finish this shower and then we can talk." She moved around Maura to wash her hair and she felt Maura's hands come around her waist and clasp together on her abdomen.

"Lately sex has been just a release because of the pent up tension of being around you." She laughed a small laugh. "I have never slept with a woman, not that there is anything wrong with it but I was just never tempted enough until you came along. But you my friend are very tempting and I definitely want you." She kissed Jane's back then they both finished showering. They stepped out of the shower and Maura walked towards Jane with a towel and a sexy smile on her lips.

Jane held up her hand to stop her advance. "You…stop right there. Hand me the towel now. If you come any closer we will never get around to talking, and you need to cover yourself because I'm only human and can withstand you only so much. I would like nothing more than to take you up against the wall right here and now but I want more than just friends with benefits."

That stopped Maura and she looked at Jane with a confused look on her face. "What does that mean?"

Jane finished drying herself and wrapped the towel around her body and walked out of the bathroom with Maura following close behind. "That's what we need to talk about. Now put on some clothes and meet me in the living room." She threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top then quickly kissed Maura and walked past her to return to the living room. Jane sat on the couch and waited for Maura and she turned at a sound from the hallway. "Oh you do not fight fair Maura. Only you could make a football jersey look sexy as hell."

Maura stood there in a Patriots jersey that barely covered her ass. "Shall I change?" Maura walked over and sat next to Jane, not too close but close enough.

"No that's ok." Jane cleared her throat then turned towards Maura and took both of her hands in hers. "You asked what friends with benefits means and it means we would remain friends but have sex. I want more than that. I want to be able to take you on a date. I want to hold your hand and kiss you when and where I want."

"But Jane we already do most of that, well except for the kissing part and I look forward to adding that. Sex can be very beneficial, it can…" She was cut off by Jane's finger gently covering her mouth.

"Maura that's not what I meant by benefits. I want all of you exclusively. I want you next to me when I fall asleep at night and when I wake up in the morning. I want my family and friends to know that you are my girlfriend and maybe someday my wife." She smiled at the dazed look on Maura's face. "Yes Maura my wife. I love you that much."

"You love me? No one has ever told me that. I have loved you for a very long time Jane but I never imagined you'd return my feelings."

Jane took a deep breath to control her emotions. "You have no idea how that makes me feel Maura. I never believed in love at first sight but you sure threw me when I first met you. You are so beautiful and I thought unattainable until now. I tried to ignore my feelings but while you were touching my face I couldn't ignore them anymore. And then I was sitting here thinking about you naked in the shower and I couldn't stop myself. But it's much more than sex. It's hard for me to voice what it is, I'm not good with words but I want everything Maura."

Maura leaned forward and gave Jane a quick kiss, Jane leaned forward to deepen the kiss but this time it was Maura who stopped her. "What do I have to do to prove to you that I want the same thing you do? I would love to be your wife someday and the idea of waking next to you every morning warms my heart more than I ever thought possible. I can't say all but most of the relationships I have been in were entered because I thought they could give me what I needed. Obviously it wasn't enough. Being friends with you, even without the sex had been more fulfilling than any other relationship I've ever been in. Your touches ignite in me something no man has ever been able to touch. When we do enter the next stage of this relationship I am sure that it will be highly satisfying. I would love to make love to you right now but I know that physically you are not ready, I've waited six years so a few more days can't hurt."

Jane smiled when she realized that Maura wanted the same things she did. "Can we still make out like teenagers?" Maura had to laugh at the childlike delight on Jane's face.

"Although I never had the pleasure of that teenage rite of passage I would be more than happy to help you relive yours." She pulled Jane towards her but stopped when she heard the hiss of pain from Jane. "So how are we going to do this without causing you undue pain?" She seemed to think for awhile. "I think I know how." She stood up in front of Jane then placed one knee on either side of Jane's hips and straddled her. She placed both of her hands on the back of the couch and leaned forward. "How's this?"

"Oh I do like your bedside manner doctor. As long as I'm the only patient that gets this kind of treatment." All Jane had to do is look up and her lips made contact with Maura's. Maura quickly took control of the kiss and tentatively moved her tongue against Jane's lips. They both moaned at the contact and Jane opened her mouth inviting Maura's tongue in. Jane's moan turned to a deep groan when their tongues first made contact and her hands started moving on Maura's body. She reached the bottom of Maura's shirt and immediately pulled back in shock. "Oh my god Maura are you trying to kill me?"

"What's the matter Jane?" Maura looked at Jane and asked innocently.

"The only thing standing between us is my jersey, you're not wearing underwear." Jane's eyes were the size of saucers.

"Well Jane technically it's not standing…" Jane reached behind Maura's head and pulled her towards her and this time she took control of the kiss and held nothing back.

"Maura I don't want our first time to be on a couch." She had to clear her throat to continue talking. "Can we take this to the bedroom? I really want to make love to you."

Maura sat up and looked down at Jane. "I've always loved your voice, it oozes sex but right now it is beyond sexy. Are you sure you're up to this?" Maura looked down at her with a concerned expression on her face.

"I've never been surer of anything in my life." Jane smiled up at Maura.

Maura stood up and took Jane's hand and watched her as she stood up. She turned and walked towards her room.

"I have a bigger bed in my room so we'll have more room to…do whatever it is we are going to do." She turned and gave Jane a coquettish smile over her shoulder.

"I never knew you were such a tease Dr. Isles."

"Oh there a lot of things you don't know about me Detective Rizzoli but I think you're going to find out soon enough." Maura opened her bedroom door and lead Jane to the bed. She turned when she reached the bed and reached for the hem of Jane's tank top and lifted it over her head. "Oh I see you neglected to don a bra too."

"Well I don't wear one when I sleep so why put one on if I'm just going to take it off later. Besides it saves time doesn't it?"

"Well I certainly can't argue with your reasoning my dear." Maura reached for the waistband of the shorts and slowly lowered both her shorts and underwear and stepped back to look at Jane. She watched a slight blush creep across Jane's face and reached for her hands before she covered herself. She brought their hands to the hem of the football jersey and then let go of Jane's hands.

Jane took hold of the hem and began to remove it. "Why am I so nervous? I feel like it's the first time. I guess it kind of is isn't it? Neither one of us has ever done this before, what if I suck at this?"

"I do believe there will be some sucking involved, at least I hope there will be." She smiled evilly at Jane and they both laughed.

Jane leaned forward and gave Maura a quick kiss. "Thank you." She pulled the shirt all the way off and they both stood there looking at each other. "God Maura you're stunning. I always knew you were beautiful but the complete package is beyond my wildest dreams. I know I already saw you in the shower but I was so interested in just touching what I had only dreamt of but now I get my fill of looking. Can I touch you?" She asked tentatively.

Maura took Jane's hands and gently lowered her to the bed and lay down beside Jane. "You can touch me wherever you like and as much as you like. I just do not want you to overdo it so that you too sore in the morning."

"I promise if anything hurts I will find another way to do it so that it doesn't hurt." She turned on her good side and placed her hand on Maura's shoulder and gently brushed her fingers along the soft skin there. "You're so soft. Everything it so different than being with a man. Your lips are so soft." She leaned over to kiss her lips. "And your skin is soft everywhere." She kissed Maura behind her ear and heard the quick intake of breath. "Is that ok?"

Maura thought she sounded so unsure of herself. "That is more than ok Jane. That feels wonderful." Maura reached her hand behind Jane's head and held her where she was.

"I've always loved the way you smell and you smell even better close up. You smell like lavender and something that is just you." She licked the same spot behind Maura's ear and received a moan for her efforts. "Mmm I'll have to remember that spot, you seem to be especially sensitive there."

"You have no idea what you are doing to me Jane. I've always liked sex but this feels like so much more and you seem to be enjoying yourself as much as I am." Jane raised herself up as much as she could and rested her head on her hand and looked down at Maura. Maura looked at her quizzically.

"Oh I'm not stopping I just need to say something and I hope it doesn't freak you out too much. I've never really cared that much for sex like you seem to. I've never initiated it before but I want to love you like you deserve to be loved. I want to love you until you can't take it anymore then start all over again. I want to show you how precious you are to me and how much I love you. I've never felt this way before and I don't think I'll ever feel this way again. Tell me what you want and I will do it." Maura looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Ah shit did I mess that up too?"

Maura gently pushed Jane onto her back and leaned over her. "No Jane you didn't mess anything up, you did everything just right. I don't think I've ever felt this special in all of my life. I now know what has been missing in my life and it was you." She leaned down and kissed Jane. "The relationship we have has always been the most important relationship in my life and I look forward to exploring the next stage. Speaking of exploring…" Maura lowered her lips to Jane's shoulder and kissed and nipped her way up her neck and smiled when Jane turned her head to give her better access and moaned.

"Mmm I see what you mean. Don't stop." Jane's voice if at all possible dropped even lower.

"Do you have any idea what your voice does to me?" Maura asked as she slowly kissed her way to Jane's breast. "Every time I hear your voice, no matter where we are it makes my heart skip a beat. I know scientifically it's not possible for the heart to skip a beat but it sure feels like it does. Whenever I enter the bullpen to see you I have to take a deep breath before I enter to make sure I can control myself." She took a pert nipple into her mouth and both women moaned at the intense pleasure.

"Oh god Maura that feels so good." She reached up and took Maura breast in her hand and couldn't stop the moan from escaping her lips. "Damn I want you so bad."

"Patience Jane, you'll get your turn, but me first." Maura kissed her way from Jane's breasts to her abdomen all the while her right hand had made its way down to Jane's thigh. She had reached her knee then slowly dragged her nails

upward and stopped at her stomach.

"Shit! That was…" Jane leaned her head back and her hips rose of their own accord as Maura did the same to her other thigh, she had no control over her own body and for the first time it didn't scare her. "That feels good Maura." When she felt Maura's fingers touch her where she had wanted her to touch for years she just about exploded. "More Maura I need more! Please I need you inside me!" She looked up at Maura's face and thought she'd never seen anything more beautiful. "Please Maura." She reached up and pulled Maura's mouth down to her and entered her mouth with her tongue just as Maura began to slowly push two fingers inside her. "Ah shit Maura I can't believe how that feels." Maura pulled her fingers almost all of the way out and plunged them back in as far as she could and watched Jane's reaction and was not disappointed when her hips rose up to meet her next plunge. "Ahhh Maura that feels…I can't describe it but don't stop."

"Jane you are so beautiful." Maura kissed her lips and then slowly slithered down Jane's body so she was lying between her legs. Jane looked down as Maura lowered her head and her tongue took its first taste of her and she couldn't stop her hips from rising up even further. "Mmm you taste sooo good Jane."

"Damn Maura where did you learn that? Don't stop I'm sooo close."

Maura increased the rhythm of her fingers to match the rhythm of her tongue and soon she felt Jane's walls begin to close on her fingers and she knew she was close so she continued to pump her fingers in and out as fast as she could.

"Oh my god Maura I'm so close. Shit! MAU…RA!" Jane's body began to spasm in a way she had never felt before and she rode out the orgasm until she couldn't take any more. She reached down and had to push Maura's head away. "Stop…I…can't…take…anymore. She reached for Maura's free hand and pulled her. "Come here." She watched as Maura licked her fingers clean and then leaned down to kiss her. She moaned when she tasted herself on Maura's lips. "My god Maura, for someone who has never done this before you did pretty good. I have never felt like that before. Thank you."

Maura leaned down to kiss Jane again. "There is no need to thank me because I thoroughly enjoyed myself. As to how I knew how to do it, I have no idea, I just followed my instincts and I guess they were right." She smiled down at Jane.

"See I told you following your instincts was a good thing. That was fantastic." She pulled Maura to her and wrapped her in a hug. "Give me a few minutes to recover and I repay the favor." She smiled up at Maura with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Just rest. I'm fine so don't worry about me." She snuggled into Jane's embrace and couldn't believe how good it felt. "This feels so right Jane. Not just the fact that our bodies fit together so perfectly but it just feels good."

Jane just pulled her in tighter. "I know what you mean, it does feel right. And you feel good next to me. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to hold you like this when we've slept in the same bed, now I can." Jane looked down and had to smile. "Boy aren't you the romantic type." She bent down and kissed the brow of the woman using her shoulder as a pillow as she slept. "I love you." She closed her eyes and just laid there enjoying the peace she felt for the first time in a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Maura woke the next morning feeling better than she had in a very long time. She looked up at the woman who was still holding her in her arms and could not hold back a smile. She realized that sleeping cuddled up to Jane was a whole new experience. She felt protected instead of controlled as she had with most men she'd slept with. She found that with most men she'd move away in the night, she usually didn't like being confined when she slept. But with Jane she loved being held as she was right now. Her hand started a slow exploration of Jane's body again and rose up and gently took one of her nipples into her mouth.

Jane thought she was having a dream until she felt her nipples harden to and almost painful nub. She opened her eyes and looked down at a smiling Maura Isles. "Good Morning Doctor Isles." Jane's voice broke when Maura gently nipped the swollen nub.

She started to giggle. "Good morning Detective Rizzoli. How did you sleep?" Her hand rested on Jane's stomach.

Jane rose up to give Maura a kiss. "Better than I have in years. Last night was the first time I haven't dreamt since Hoyt became a part of my life." She looked at Maura seriously. "Thank you for being there Maura." She pushed Maura backwards so she was now lying almost on top of her.

"Jane be careful I don't want you to hurt yourself." Maura looked up at Jane's face and was pleased to see that there was no sign that she was in pain.

"Don't diagnose me this early in the morning just lay back and enjoy, it's my turn. I actually feel pretty good this morning." Jane trapped Maura's body under hers and kissed her very passionately. She felt a small twinge of pain but it wasn't bad enough to interrupt what she was doing. "Damn you taste as good as you look." She licked again behind Maura's ear and smiled when she got the same reaction as last night. She turned her head and watched as Maura's hips began to move. "What do you want Maura? I want to please you."

"You're doing just fine Jane, more than fine. Just go with the flow."

Jane laughed and looked at Maura. "Did you just say 'go with the flow'?"

"Yes. Did I say it wrong?" Maura looked slightly upset.

"No Maura you said it right and I do plan to go with the flow as you say." She latched on to Maura breast and gently bit the hardened nub. She knew she had accomplished her goal when Maura's hips almost came off the bed.

"Oh Jane don't stop. Please." Maura wrapped her leg around Jane's hips and pulled her closer.

"I don't plan on stopping until I hear you screaming my name loud enough for the neighbors to hear you." She looked at Maura and smiled as her fingers started exploring her body. "I can see that your yoga has certainly paid off. You have a perfect body."

"No I think that..." She was cut off by Jane's mouth covering hers.

"When I say your body is perfect you either say 'Thank you Jane' or you just moan your agreement." She moved her hand to Maura's stomach and admired the womanly curves there. "Your body is so different from mine. You have curves where there should be curves, and gorgeous breasts that I could ogle all day. Now that I know what's under those tight dresses you wear I may get in trouble at work." She once again took a pert nipple into her mouth and licked it then blew on it and watched it harden even more. "So beautiful."

Maura moaned at the feelings coursing through her body. "Jane I need you. Please Jane touch me or I'll touch myself."

Jane's hand slowly made its way down Maura's body. "We'll save that for later right now I want you to let me know what feels good and what doesn't ok?" Maura could only nod as she felt Jane's fingers finally touch her dripping core. "God you're so wet. It that all for me?" Jane smiled up at Maura.

"It's been that way since you first touched me. It's what you do to me and have always done to me. I can't tell you how many times I've touched myself pretending it was you. OH GOD!" She screamed as Jane entered her quickly with two fingers.

"Not the right name but I'll take that as a compliment. Does that feel good?" She asked as she curled her fingers inside Maura. Maura's hips rose off the bed trying to meet Jane's hand as much as she could. "Damn Maura." She pulled her fingers almost all of the way out and plunged them back in again and Maura's hips met her thrust again and soon they set a frantic rhythm that had Maura moaning almost constantly. "God I love the way you respond to my touch." She scissored her fingers inside Maura and felt her walls starting to tighten around her fingers and she sped up her pace even more.

"God Jane I'm so close. Hold me." Jane kept the rhythm going but rose up enough to place her arm under Maura's back and pulled her close and held her.

"Maura open your eyes. I want to watch you." Maura opened her eyes and Jane smiled down at her. "Come for me baby." She slammed her fingers in then used her thumb to stimulate her swollen clit and then Maura was clinging to her for dear life. "I've got you, let go."

And Maura did just that. "JANE! Oh my god JANE!"

Jane kept the pace until she felt the last shiver make its way through Maura's body then she slowed her fingers and finally stopped but did not remove them. She leaned down and kissed Maura's sweating brow and down her face until she finally met her lips. "That was amazing Maura."

Maura looked up at Jane and smiled. "I think I'm the one that's supposed to be saying that. And it was amazing."

"God when I looked into your eyes I fell in love with you all over again." She saw the tears form in Maura eyes and realized what she had said. "I'm sorry. It's too soon but I can't take it back." Jane looked down at Maura with a worried look and closed her eyes, not wanting to watch Maura cry. Maura reached over and lovingly placed her finger on Jane's lips.

"I don't want you to take it back I want to hear it again." Maura let the tears fall unchecked.

Jane looked surprised and smiled at the look of love on Maura's face. "I'm in love with you and I have been for a very long time." She slowly started to move her fingers that were still inside Maura.

"Oh Jane I don't think I can take anything again..." But she couldn't stop her breath from hitching at the feeling Jane's finger elicited.

Jane leaned down next to Maura's ear and whispered. "I'll be gentle Maura." She smiled as Maura's hips slowly started to keep pace with Jane's hand. "I want to show you how much I love you." Maura watched as Jane moved down to lay between her legs. "I want to taste you Maura." She lowered her head and tentatively licked Maura clit. "Damn!" Jane's next move was no longer tentative, she attacked Maura's clit with the eagerness of a puppy at its first meal. She reached up with her free hand to hold Maura's hips down. She swiped her tongue back and forth and up and down and all around Maura's clit and moaned when she felt Maura begin to tighten around her fingers again. Her tongue kept pace with her fingers and soon Maura's hips we bucking so bad Jane had to hold on tight so she wouldn't lose her hold on Maura. She was able to look up and watch as Maura started to come down from her orgasm and she slowly pulled her fingers out but continued to lick up all of Maura's juices. She was licking her fingers as she made her way back up to lay next to Maura.

"Oh this is going to be fun." Jane looked over as Maura was still trying to get her breathing under control.

"That's if you don't kill me first." Maura turned her head and smiled at Jane. "I have never had two orgasms that close together. It usually takes my body longer to recover. You are a fantastic lover and it scares me to say this but you're only going to get better. Just think what we can do once we start using our imaginations." She watched as Jane thought about it.

A big grin broke out on Jane's face. "Oh this is going to be really fun." Maura laughed at her childlike delight. "Should we go get some breakfast?" Maura nodded. Jane jumped out of bed and her sore ribs finally made their presence known. She doubled over in pain and sat back down on the bed.

Maura jumped out of bed and ran around to kneel in front of her and placed her hand on her thigh. "Ok Jane I knew it was too much too soon. You rest and I'll bring breakfast to you."

Jane placed her hand on top of Maura's. "I'll be fine, I just forgot for a minute. Let's throw on some clothes and make breakfast together again. Hey do you have Coco Puffs?"

"You don't really eat that stuff do you? Do you have any idea how many preservatives there are in one spoonful of that stuff?" Maura said as she stood up and walked into her closest and grabbed a robe.

"Sure I do. Do you have any?" Jane gave her her best smile. She threw on the shorts and tank top she'd had on last night.

"Of course I do." She returned Jane's smile. "I bought some that last time I shopped because I knew you liked them."

"Ah a woman after my heart. Little did you know that you already had it." She straightened up and pulled Maura into a hug. She started walking Maura backwards towards the door and kissed her every couple of steps on the way to the kitchen. "What would you like for breakfast my dear?" She walked Maura to the table and pushed her into a chair.

"I'll have what you're having."

"You mean the great Dr. Isles is going to eat something that has not one ounce of nutrition? What happened to your tofu or whatever you have for breakfast?"

"I just thought I'd see what all the excitement is about." She looked up at Jane with a huge smile.

"Give me a moment and I will tantalize your taste buds." She went to the kitchen and grabbed everything she needed and set it all down on the table. When Maura reached for a bowl Jane gently slapped her hand. "Allow me Madame." Jane bowed with a flourish. She filled the bowl with the cereal then poured the milk then took her seat. She took a spoonful of her cereal and reached towards Maura with it. "Now there's a way to eat this. When you have the cereal in your mouth you let it rest on your tongue and you suck on it and let it melt. It's heavenly." She placed the spoonful in Maura's mouth and watched as Maura followed her instructions. She knew exactly when Maura figured it out by the way her eyes lit up.

"Oh my, that is good. I can see why you like it. The puffs just kind of melt on your tongue and the chocolate flavor is so strong. Although it is still very bad for you."

Jane leaned over and kissed her soundly. "Only you would find something wrong in something so good." She smiled and pulled her bowl towards her and watched as Maura ate her meal as if it were her last. She relished each and every bite. Maura looked up when Jane finished her cereal and watched as she brought the bowl to her lips and drank the milk from the bottom of the bowl. Jane looked up at the horrified expression on Maura's face. "What? It's just like drinking chocolate milk from a glass except it's a bowl. Try it, it's so decadent."

Jane watched as Maura tentatively brought the bowl to her mouth and drank then set the bowl down on the table. "You are right it is decadent but there are more acceptable means to drink the milk. You could pour it into a glass and drink it like normal people would."

"Are you calling me abnormal? I'll have you know the cop shrink told me I was very normal when I was cleared for duty the last time I got hurt. He also called me free spirited. So I think of myself as free spirited rather than abnormal." She gave Maura a haughty smile.

"No Jane I did not say you were abnormal, you are just not what I am used to." Maura tried to explain it to her gently.

"So now you're trying to tell me I'm not as refined as the people you grew up with. Well I'll have you know that there are times when I am alone that I do drink my beer from a glass, not very often but once in awhile. I've learned how to eat using a knife and a fork not just my hands and I know to unfold my napkin before I place it gently in my lap with an elegant flourish. I hold my pinkie out when I drink from your fancy tea cups and I hold my burps until I am away from the table, well at least when I'm with your friends. So I am very refined." She looked at Maura and burped to make her point.

"Oh that was very refined Jane." She looked at Jane and couldn't help laughing at the dignified look Jane was trying to hold and failing miserably. She then realized that her fears of their relationship changing were all unfounded. The relationship had actually improved since yesterday. The tension is gone because they no longer have to hide their feelings from each other and they could actually act on those feelings whenever they wanted.

"Earth to Maura! Hey where'd you go sweetie?" Jane waved her hand in front of Maura's face until Maura looked at her. "Hey you ok?"

Maura smiled at Jane's worried look. "They were good thoughts so relax your glabella." She reached up to smooth the crease between her eyebrows. "I was thinking that things haven't changed at all between us and I was so afraid that they would."

Jane stood up and pulled Maura up and wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her forehead. "I was worried about that too but things seem to have leveled out and become even more comfortable. The tension is gone."

"I was thinking the same thing." Just then the doorbell rang and Maura started to move out of Jane's arms.

"No let me, it's probably one of my crazy relations anyway." Jane walked over and opened the door and saw Frankie standing there with a serious look on his face. "Hey what's the matter?" She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house.

"We got a bad one. Woman killed and a little girl left alive." He looked between the two of them.

"Why are you here? You know both Maura and I are off until tomorrow. And why didn't you call instead of coming over?"

"This one is ugly and homicide is short handed and none of the guys want to work with Dr. Pike and we were hoping you'd help us out." Frankie gave Jane the patented Rizzoli puppy dog look.

"Jane is in no condition to be working a crime scene and what is so important that you drove over here yourself?" Maura said as she rested her hand on Jane's arm.

"I talked it over with Korsak & Frost and they thought you'd want to be in on this. Cavanaugh said if you are up to it he would like you to join us too."

"What's going on Frankie? Why can't you just tell me what this is all about?" Jane gave Frankie her best _I will kill you if you don't tell me _look.

"I can't really explain it but you'll understand when you see it now come on." He headed for the door then turned back around with the Rizzoli smirk fully in place. "Just make sure you dress appropriately." Jane approached him menacingly and he ran out the door laughing. When Jane turned around she expected Maura to be smiling but she was far from it.

Maura knew she was being unreasonable but she had been looking forward to spending the day alone with Jane. She had no right to monopolize her time but is one day asking too much? Jane walked over in front of Maura and waved her hand in front of her face and got no response. "Hey you in there?" Maura looked up as if she'd just come out of a trance. Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and kissed her forehead. "I was looking forward to spending the day together too. How about we just go to the scene, check it over then come back home and you can ravish my body to your heart's content. I'm all yours."

"How did you know that's what I was thinking?" She stood up on her tip toes and kissed Jane gently. "You always know what to say. I guess I just wanted the day to explore this new relationship."

"Is that all you wanted to explore?" Jane leered at Maura and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Why Miss Rizzoli you must think me a sex fiend." She said in her best southern belle drawl. "I know I'm being selfish and that's new to me. I don't want you to think I'm trying to change you but…" Once again her words were cut off by Jane's lips covering hers.

"Maura I know you were not trying to change me and I was thinking the same thing you were. I really want this time with you but I have a feeling I need to check this out. I promise we'll come back afterwards and spend the evening alone."

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Maura took Jane's hand and started leading her upstairs to change clothes. Jane walked dutifully behind Maura and didn't hear what Maura had said because she had a very tantalizing view of Maura's ass as they walked up the stairs and her mind was elsewhere. "Jane!" Maura had turned and caught Jane ogling her ass.

"What? I can't help it if you have the cutest ass in the world and at this moment it is only inches from my face. Let's get out of here so we can hurry back. I changed my mind about you ravishing me, I'm going to give you a night you will never forget." She pushed Maura ahead to make her move faster. She just about tore her own clothes off so they could get out of there faster.

They showed up at the crime scene about 20 minutes later and they walked up to Korsak who had been standing outside the house. "Hey Jane how are you feeling? Sorry to call you out when you're not 100% but I think you two need to see this." He led them into the house and straight down to the basement.

He moved out of the way and Jane got her first look at the victim. "Holy shit Korsak a little heads up would have been nice." Maura had never seen her this angry and she knew why when she got a look at the body but then felt a sense of déjà vu so strong she had to grab the wall for support. "Maura are you ok?" Jane walked over to look Maura in the eye.

"I just had a sense of déjà vu and it threw me, I'm fine." Maura shook her head and walked towards the body. "Looks as if she had been tortured profusely over a long period of time." She once again felt the déjà vu but this time it was stronger and this time she had to lean against the wall to keep her legs from buckling under her.

Jane walked up to her and wrapped her arms around her. "Come on were leaving." She turned to lead her out of the room and Korsak, Frankie and Frost followed them up the stairs. Frankie pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and Jane helped her sit down then knelt in front of her and winced from the pain in her rib gage. She was able to hide it from Maura because Maura was just staring straight ahead. She was really worried because Maura was as white as a sheet. "Do you need a doctor?"

"Don't be silly Jane I am a doctor and I'll be fine. I was just surprised that's all." Maura placed her hand on top of Jane's hand that was resting on her knee. The guys were watching the interaction between the two women and Korsak held out his hand and Frost put a twenty dollar bill in his palm without saying a word.

Jane finally looked around the room at the three men who all played an integral part in her life but who at the moment owed her and Maura an explanation. "What's to be surprised about?" She asked sarcastically. She stood up and walked around stopping in front of each man as she spoke. "The fact that the woman was severely tortured or the fact that she could be Maura's twin. Frankie how hard would it have been to tell us the woman was Maura's exact double when I asked you what this was all about? How about _Hey Jane we got a body and she looks just like Maura, _at least then we would have been ready for this. Look what it did to Maura." She walked back over and knelt down in front of Maura again. "You're getting some of your color back. Are you feeling better?" Maura nodded. "We're off this case. You guys can figure it out on your own." She stood up and reached down to help Maura up and was surprised when Maura didn't take her hand.

"No Jane we are going to work this case and we are going to find out who did this to that poor woman. Frankie you mentioned something about a little girl where is she?"

"The medics took her to the hospital to check her over." Frankie at least looked as if he was sorry.

"How old was she?" Maura asked but had a feeling she already knew the answer but didn't know why.

"She was 8 years old and reported missing a couple of days ago. A ransom was demanded but never paid and the family thought the little girl was dead. They're at the hospital now." Frankie looked at Maura with a worried look. She seemed to fluctuate between a trance state and being perfectly lucid. He looked to Jane for answers and she just shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you sure you are up to this Maura?" Jane wanted to work the case but not if it was going to affect Maura like this. "We don't have to if it's going to hurt you."

"I have this feeling I was meant to work this case. Don't ask me how but I just do. I can't explain what is happening to me but I keep having these feelings that almost feel like flashbacks like I've actually been here before. Not here in this house but in this situation. Which is ridiculous because if I had experienced this before I would surely remember it. Wouldn't I?" She looks up at the others in the room with a scared look.

Jane pulls up a chair next to her and wraps her in her arms and rubs her hand up and down her back. "We'll figure this out Maura, we'll make it right, we always do don't we?" She pulled back so she could look Maura in the eye. "We will get this guy and figure out if you do play a part in it and if so why."

"At what cost Jane? How many women will die before we figure it out?" He soulful eyes pleaded with Jane.

"What makes you think there will be more?" Jane asked quietly.

"That's what happened before right? It's a feeling I've got. I guess this is what you mean when you say you feel it in your gut. I have no scientific proof to back up my statement but there will be more and it won't be long before we have a second one. Jane I do not like this feeling. I'm a scientist I deal in facts not feelings but these feelings are so strong that I can't ignore them. They won't go away. What's wrong with me?"

Jane pulled her to her again. "There's nothing wrong with you Maura. You're the same person you were when you woke up this morning."

"No Jane I'm not! I don't feel the same and I don't think I ever will be again." Maura was beginning to feel as if she were going crazy. She never followed instincts only facts and here she was saying that her whole life had changed in the blink of an eye because of a feeling. "Let's get her back to the morgue so I can start the autopsy and figure out what killed this woman." She stood, took a deep breath then instructed the morgue attendants to load the body and take it to the morgue. "Let's go Jane. Gentlemen I will see you back at the precinct." She turned and walked out of the room with all the dignity she could muster. Jane turned to the guys and shrugged then ran after Maura.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"What do you think that's all about?" Korsak asked to no one in particular. "That was downright weird."

"I've never seen Maura like that before. She always so in control and to see her lose it like that is kind of disconcerting." Frost said as he started walking back down to the basement to check on the CSU team.

"Man that was freaky. I saw the two of them earlier and Maura was just fine I wonder what spooked her about this case? Other than the woman looking like her." Frankie said to Korsak as they were the only two left standing in the kitchen.

"I guess we'll leave it in Jane's hands, she seemed to have Doc Isles under control. Did you notice a change in the air with the two of them?" Korsak whispered in a conspiratorial way.

"Yeah I noticed it this morning when I went over to tell them about this." He said as he pointed towards the basement. "Jane answered the door in some just barely there shorts and Maura was in her bathrobe. Kind of surprising for 10:00 in the morning don't ya think? And there was a...how can I put this? Ah shit I'm just going to say it, there was a glow about them. Something was definitely different a lot less tension. Man Tommy is going to be so pissed off."

"Why is Tommy going to be pissed off?" Korsak asked as he headed out the door back to the front of the house.

Frankie followed him out. "Tommy told me the other night that he wanted to ask Maura out. I told him he was crazy but he insisted that as long as Maura was a free agent she was fair game."

"Did he actually put it that way? He called her a free agent?" Frankie nodded his head. "I sure would like to hear what Jane would say if she heard him talking like that."

"Oh man he'd either have a black eye or not be able to walk for days. You've seen how Jane is when someone disrespects Maura. She'd rip his heart out and have it for dinner. I sure would love to be a fly on the wall when Tommy finds out their dating."

"Did you mention that fact that Jane have feelings for Maura?" Korsak asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah I did and he said if Jane didn't have the balls to ask her out he did. And he whined all night because Maura was too busy taking care of Jane to spend any time with him. I had to keep from laughing when Maura came out and told us to go home because Jane was too tired to sit with us and Tommy tried to get her to sit down and ignore Jane."

"What a dirty dog. Does he really believe he has a chance against Jane? Has he even spent more than five minutes in the room with the two of them? The tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife."

"But that's one of the changes I was talking about, I didn't feel the tension this morning."

"You think they did it?" Korsak asked with a bit of a blush.

"Eww that's my sister you're talking about." Frankie kind of whispered to Korsak. "But there was that glowing thing going on.

"Ah come on men don't say glowing." Korsak looked at Frankie.

"And men don't gossip." Frost said as he came up behind the two men. "You two are worse than a couple of old ladies playing bridge. Let's get back to headquarters and see how Maura's doing." He headed for their cars.

"He's no fun at all." Korsak mumbled as he followed Frost to the car. "But he is my ride back." He said as he saw Frost starting to pull away. "Hey Frost how am I supposed to get back?" Frost stopped the car and waited until Korsak reached for the door handle then he pulled ahead again. "And how old are you? I played this game in junior high." He reached for the door again and Frost pulled away again.

"And it's just as much fun now as it was then. Come on get in. I promise." Korsak slowly reached for the handle and waited for Frost to pull away again. "Come on you're wasting time. Get in." This time when Korsak reached for the handle he opened the door and got in.

"That was childish Frost very childish." Korsak sat back and pouted.

When they arrived back at headquarters they both headed down to the morgue. The woman's body lay on the table and Maura was removing organs expertly and Jane was hovering to make sure Maura was ok. Frost walked up to the table to looked down then quickly placed his hand over his mouth. "Sink Barry, I do not want you to contaminate the body." All of this said without even taking her eyes off the body. "There are numerous incisions that are not too deep to cause death but would cause severe pain. There are also what appears to be cylindrical burn marks all over the body."

"Could they be from a cigarette?" Usually Jane would have asked this in her usual sarcastic nature but she was afraid to push Maura.

"What no sarcasm Jane? I'm not on the verge of a nervous breakdown or anything. I just had a moment of familiarity in that basement but the feeling is gone and I feel fine."

"No you're not fine because you called a nervous breakdown a nervous breakdown and not some long medical term none of us would understand." This Jane said sarcastically.

"That's because there is no other terminology that describes a nervous breakdown. Even the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 call it a nervous breakdown."

"That's my girl." Jane turned to Frost and Korsak with smile. "She's back!"

"Jane I was never gone I was here the whole time. Now may I finish this autopsy?" Maura asked slightly frustrated with the crowed morgue when she was used to working alone. "Don't the three of you have something to do?"

"Oh you mean like the gumshoe thing we all do?" Jane asked with a big smile on her face.

Maura couldn't help but smile. "Am I ever going to live that one down Jane?"

"It doesn't look like it does it?" Jane walked up to Maura and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "We…gumshoes will go do our gumshoe thingy while you do your geeky medical thingy ok?" She kissed Maura quickly on the lips and headed out of the morgue toward the elevators. "Hey are you two coming? We've got work to do." Frost and Korsak were still standing there staring at where Jane had just left as if they were frozen. Korsak was the first to snap out of it then swatted Frost on the sleeve as he passed him. When they entered the elevator Jane was trying very hard not to laugh. "What haven't you ever seen two women kiss before?"

"Ah…not really. And especially not you?" Frost spoke up first. "Even when you were dating guys you never kissed them in public. Speaking of dating guys…"

"Don't go there Frost." Jane gave him her best stare and he held up his arms in surrender. Jane heard Korsak snickering behind her so she turned and gave him her best _I'll kill you _stare but it didn't faze Korsak at all.

"Janie's in love Janie's in love." Korsak said in a sing song voice and Jane lunged after him but she was smiling.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I hate being called Janie? Knock it off." They entered the bullpen and Jane went straight for her desk.

Korsak walked up behind her and leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I'm happy for you Jane."

Jane looked up and saw that he was serious. "Thanks Korsak that mean a lot to me. Now can we try to figure out what's up with this sicko and why it affected Maura so badly? Frost I want you to dig and see if there are any other murders out there that have the same MO. I don't care how far back you have to go. I'm going to go bug the guys in fingerprints and see if they can give me a name. Korsak can you check on the background of the little girl's family and see if there's a connection. I'll be back soon." She turned and headed back out the door and hurried back down to the morgue. She crashed through the door with her usual aplomb.

Maura looked up at her and smiled. "Did you forget something?"

Jane walked up to her and took her face gently in her hands. "Yes, this." She leaned in and gave Maura the gentlest kiss she had ever received. "Are you sure you're ok?" Jane asked as she watched Maura's eyes for any sign of deception.

"Jane you can stop scrutinizing me, you know I can't lie, so when I tell you I am fine I mean it. I'm fine now let me do my job so we can find closure for this woman. Go do what you do."

Jane leaned in and kissed her again. "God I love that I can do that now."

"So do I now go find someplace else to be so I can finish. By the way, I'm sorry if I screwed up your plans for the evening." She smiled slyly at Jane. "I was really looking forward to it."

Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and whispered in her ear. "So was I." She felt Maura shiver and she kissed her behind her ear like she'd done last night and heard Maura moan.

"Oh you are so mean." Maura pushed her away. "The sooner you figure out who did this the sooner we can pick up where we left off."

Jane turned and pretended to run away but turned at the door. "I love you bye!" She turned and ran before Maura had a chance to respond. Maura stood there with a smile on her face shaking her head.

Jane headed to fingerprinting and popped her head in the door. "Hey Johnny were you able to find out who our lady is?"

He pointed to a folder on his desk. "Yup it's all there in my report."

She walked over and grabbed the report. "Hey thanks for the rush job I owe you." She smiled at him.

"Next time we're at the Robber you owe me a beer." He laughed back at her.

"Make it two and we're good. See ya." She almost ran to the elevator. She perused the folder as the elevator brought her back up to the 2nd flood. She walked in to the bullpen and looked at both Frost and Korsak working diligently at their computers. Well Korsak pretended he knew what he was doing as he was pecking at the keyboard. Jane went to her desk and entered the name the fingerprints belonged to and sat looking at a picture of the woman they'd found this morning. "Her name is Patricia Fielding, she's a stay at home mother of two kids. She's 40 years old and her husband is an accountant at a firm downtown. Nothing jumps out as odd with the two of them so why was she chosen? I guess we need to go talk to the husband and see what he knows." Jane grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and threw it over her shoulder. "Korsak come on you're going with me. I know nobody likes to do notifications but it has to be done."

"Jane here's the missing persons report the husband filed 5 days ago. I thought she looked familiar. I've seen posters in some of the shop windows with her picture on them." Frost handed the report to Jane as she headed for the door. "Does she ever slow down?" Frost asked Korsak knowing full well what the answer was.

"Nope, and that's what makes her one of the best detectives I've ever seen." He started heading after Jane.

"You mean it wasn't your stellar training?" Jane asked as she popped her head back into the bullpen smiling.

"Oh that's what put you on the right path but you took it and ran with it all on your own." Jane smiled at Frost then turned and left again. "You better learn from her Frost." Korsak finally ran after Jane.

Jane and Korsak drove over the accounting firm and walked in the front door. They showed their badges to the receptionist and were shown to a conference room to wait for John Fielding. Korsak poured them each some coffee from the carafe and they sat down to wait. They didn't have to wait long, they looked up as the door open and looked into the eyes of a man that had been through hell in the last 5 days and knew why they were there.

"Did you find Patty?" He sat down at the table and bowed his head. "She's dead isn't she? I've been dreading this day since she disappeared. How did she die?"

Jane leaned forward and rested her hand on his arm. "We're very sorry for you loss. We found your wife this morning and she is in good hands."

"Did she suffer much?" He watched as Jane and Korsak exchange a strained look. "You don't have to say anything I can see it in your eyes. She didn't deserve this. Was it random or did they target her?"

"That's what we are going to try to find out. I know it's a bad time but can we ask you a few questions?" Jane asked softly as she pulled out her pen and notebook.

"If it will help catch the bastard that did this then I'll answer any question you want me to." The look on his face revealed the pain he was feeling and the tears were on the verge of falling.

"First we have to ask the obvious question. Where were you last night at about 10:30 p.m.?" Jane asked reluctantly.

"I thought they only asked those on the cop shows on T.V. But I guess it makes sense. I was at a support group meeting that I joined two days after Patty disappeared. It's a group of spouses of missing partners." He handed Jane a card. "Here's the address and the meeting schedule you call and ask them I'll tell them to expect you or they won't tell you anything. You know the whole privacy thing."

Jane pocketed the card. "Thank you. Can you think of anyone who would want to harm your wife?"

"No, Patty is such a sweet woman and she loved everyone and it seemed as if everyone loved her. Apparently that was wrong. I can't see any of our friends doing this. She rarely takes time away from the kids but 5 days ago she wanted some alone time so I was taking care of the kids while she went to the Mall to shop for some new clothes. She never came home. The police tried to make me wait 24 hours but when the mall closed and her car was the only one left in the lot they started an investigation. According to them they couldn't find anything suspicious so they said she must have left with someone. Patty would not do that. I'm sure that's what every spouse says at a time like this but Patty adores the children and she would not leave them like that."

"What about you? Does she adore you too?" Korsak asked and surprised both Jane and John Fielding. He looked at Jane and shrugged.

"Let me put it to you this way Detective Korsak. I loved my wife with all of my heart and soul and I believed she felt the same way. At least that's what she told me when she left that night. We always made it a point to tell each other how much we loved them. So yes I think she loved me too but she still would never leave the children like that, she was devoted to them and she wanted more. So with all due respect to the police officers that investigated her disappearance, they are full of shit. Patty would not walk away on her own." He looked up at Jane with even more pain in his eyes than before.

"Mr. Fielding I am so sorry that we had to dredge up all of the pain and hurt but we really want to get the guy who did this to your wife before he has a chance to do it to another woman or child." Jane looked closely for his reaction.

His head snapped up and he looked fiercely at Jane. "What child? There was a child killed too? How could anyone do that to a child?" This time he did not stop the tears from falling and Jane felt they were genuine.

"No Mr. Fielding the child was not killed but we think she was forced to sit and watch as your wife died." Jane felt tears coming to her own eyes. She hated when kids were involved.

"From your expression I can assume my wife did not die a quick death. Was she tortured? Please tell me." He pleaded with her.

"Yes sir she was, we think it was done over the 5 days. There were some injuries that appeared to have started healing and some were new." Jane felt as if she had just kicked his puppy. No spouse should have to go through what this man is experiencing.

"How old was the girl?"

"She was 8 years old and had been abducted from her school about a couple of days ago. They demanded a ransom but Agent Dean from the FBI said not to pay because then they would kill her as soon as they got the money. They never heard from the kidnappers again and thought their daughter was dead until today. She's understandably in shock and they took her to the hospital for observation. She'll probably be in therapy for quite some time."

"Our youngest is 8 and if someone took her I would stop at nothing to find her and I would pay whatever price they asked. I wouldn't let anyone stop me. Then I would kill the bastard." He looked so fierce Jane could hardly not believe him.

"Well Mr. Fielding I hope it doesn't come to that. I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to us and I am sorry for your loss. Here's my card if you can think of anything else. We'll contact you when the ME is done with your wife so you can make arrangements." Jane stood and extended her hand and he took it and shook it.

"Can I see my wife?" He looked back and forth between Jane and Korsak.

Korsak stood up and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Man I don't think you want to see her right now. Go spend some time with your girls and we'll let you know when she's ready."

"If it was your wife would you wait?"

Jane tried hard not to laugh at the evil smile on Korsak's face. "You're asking the wrong guy Sir. If you really want to see her we can arrange it but I've got to warn you its pretty bad."

"I owe it to her. Can I go now?"

"I'll call the ME and let her know you are on your way so she can prepare your wife. Would you like to ride with us? We can arrange a ride back when you're done." Jane asked with all of the sympathy she was feeling for this broken man.

"I think that would be best. Then I'll pick up the girls and go to Patty's parent's house and let them know that she's been found." He stood up and walked out with Jane and Korsak.

Jane threw the keys to Korsak and pulled out her phone as she opened the door for John Fielding then took a seat in the front seat. "Hey Maura we're bringing in Patty Fielding's husband and he would like to view her body."

"So that's her name. How far away are you?"

"About 20 minutes."

"Ok I'll have her ready. Have you told him everything?"

"Yeah but he says he owes it to her. I'll see you in a few ok?" Jane sighed.

"Are you ok? Sorry that's a stupid question. I know how hard it is for you to make notifications. I'll be here ok?"

Jane knew she meant it to mean more than she'll just be waiting for her and it warmed her heart. "Thanks Maura we'll see you in a few minutes."

"Jane? I love you." Jane heard the smile in her voice and couldn't help but smile.

"I know same here. Bye for now." She hung up the phone then turned around in her seat to speak to John. "Patty will be ready by the time we get there. I have to warn you again, she's in pretty bad shape. We'll find who did this and he'll be brought to justice."

"Thank you Detective Rizzoli. I appreciate all that you are doing for Patty and for me. Does this happen very often?" He leaned forward in the seat as much as his seatbelt would allow.

"Does what happen very often? I don't mean to be dense but what part of this situation are you referring to?" Jane asked because she really wasn't sure what he meant.

"Women being abducted tortured and killed. How often does it happen?"

"All except for the being killed part it's happened to her three times." Korsak pointed at Jane. "She was stupid enough to let the same guy do it to her all three times. Ouch what was that for?" He yelled as Jane punched him in the arm.

"I thought you looked familiar. You're that Rizzoli? I read all about you in the papers. My wife thought it was so cool that a female cop beat a serial killer at his own game and finally killed him. And when you shot yourself to kill that dirty cop she wanted to send you something to tell you how much of a hero you were to her and the kids in our neighborhood. Our oldest daughter idolizes you."

Jane actually blushed. "I look forward to meeting her." Jane smiled. It was the most animated she'd seen him since they told him the news.

"She'll be thrilled."

"I'll show off my scars for her." She held up her hands for John to see her palms. "These were courtesy of Hoyt the first time we met."

"Yeah she actually had three run ins with the freak until she finally killed him. She's got a hard head, its takes awhile for her to take a hint and do what needs to be done. Ouch! Will you stop hitting me?" Korsak turned to Jane with a wicked smile.

"How long have you two been partners?" He sat back and relaxed.

"We aren't partners anymore. Jane thought being caught by Hoyt meant she was weak and she asked for a new partner because she didn't think I could trust her anymore." Jane looked at him with a surprised look on her face. "What? You didn't think I'd figure it out?"

"What happened?" John asked from the backseat.

"Korsak and I were after Charles Hoyt also known as The Surgeon because of what he did to the women he killed?"

"What did he do?" John asked excitedly.

"He killed the women then cut out their uterus. He had captured a woman who he had been after all along and when I found out where she was I went into the basement without backup and Hoyt knocked me out. When I woke up he had me literally nailed to the floor with scalpels through each of my palms. He'd cut me a little on the neck and he was about to slice me from one ear to the other when Korsak came in and shot him. My hero." She pretended to swoon when she looked at Korsak.

"Detective Korsak you said three times what happened the next two times?"

"Oh look we're here! I guess those lovely stories will have to wait until another time." Jane said and the moment of camaraderie was gone and the mood became somber once again. Jane got out and opened the door for John. "I'll take you down to your wife. Korsak can you go up and see if Frost has found anything useful?" She led John to the elevator. "We'll bring her to a window and you can see her there."

"Can I go in so I can say good-bye?" His tears were close to falling again and it affected Jane more than she wanted to let on.

"We're not supposed to but I guess we can make an exception." Jane had to swallow hard to keep her own feelings in check.

"Thank you."

The elevator opened and Jane led him into the outer room of the morgue. "Can you wait here so I can talk to the ME and let her know what's going on? I'll be right back." She placed her hand on his shoulder then turned and walked into the morgue. When she walked through the door Maura looked up and almost ran over to Jane and hugged her. Jane welcomed her warmth for just a moment then pulled back. "He wants to come in so he can say good-bye to her."

Maura saw how close to tears Jane was and understood. "Are you sure he should see her like this?" She looked up at Jane and saw the pain. "Her face is virtually intact so as long as she stays covered I guess it would be ok."

Jane turned and slowly opened the door and Maura got her first look at John Fielding. What she saw was a man who has been through hell and back in a very short time span. She walked over and placed her hand on his arm and escorted him to the table. "We'll leave you alone with her."

"No! Stay. Please? I don't think I can do this alone." He stared at the covered body on the table in front of him.

"Of course we'll stay if that's what you want." Maura walked over to the table then turned back to John. "Are you ready?" He nodded his head quickly. Jane had seen that before with people doing something they really didn't want to do. Like saying let's get this over with quickly. Maura folded the top of the sheet down just enough to reveal Patty's face.

John walked forward and gently stoked her face. Jane and Maura walked over to lean against the counter feeling like interlopers during a very private moment. He leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly and whispered in her ear. Neither woman could hear what he said but they could imagine what he was telling his wife. He stayed like that for awhile then stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes then turned to Jane and Maura. "Thank you." He turned to Maura. "Have you finished the autopsy yet?"

Maura could see it was hard for him to ask. No one likes the thought of a loved one being cut open and laid bare. "No I haven't but I should be done by the end of the day."

"I'll call the Funeral Home and have them pick her up when you are done." He then turned to Jane and gave her a hug, completely surprising Jane, who hated hugs. "Thank you for all you've done and I look forward to hearing the other two stories about your encounters."

"Let me walk you out and find someone to drive you home."

"No that's ok, I think I'll take a cab back to work then go get the girls. Thanks again." He turned and walked away.

Jane stood there stunned until Maura walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "What encounters was he talking about?"

Jane turned in Maura's arms and walked her backwards to her office. "He's asked us if women being abducted happened very often and Korsak told him it had happened to me three times and then he recognized me and asked me what had happened. I thought it was a good way to distract him so I told him how I got these." She held up her hands. "I didn't realize Korsak knew why I asked for a new partner after that happened."

"I didn't know you asked for a new partner, why did you do that? I thought Korsak was a good partner."

"He was the best partner you could ask for and I had let him down by going against policy and going in without a backup and he saw me at my weakest and I beat him to it by asking for a new partner before he could."

"Why would he ask for a new partner? He loves working with you." Maura asked because she was confused.

"Maura, nobody wants a weak partner and someone who doesn't follow protocol on top of it." Jane hung her head because she was still ashamed of how stupid she had been that day.

"My god Jane you saw what Hoyt had done to other women and you knew he was about to do it again so you went into save her. You did what any cop would do."

"But I made a rookie mistake and got myself knocked out and Korsak had to save not only me but Catherine too. Therefore I put his life in danger too. How could he trust me to make the right decision the next time?" Maura couldn't tell who she was trying to convince herself or her.

They were sitting on Maura's couch and Maura took her hands and turned toward her. "Jane, Korsak trusts you more than he trusts anyone and he treats you as his equal. He's proud of you, you can see it in his eyes. He was so honored when you asked him to introduce you at the award ceremony honoring you as a hero. And that is what you are Jane. You are a hero."

"No I am not Maura. Shooting yourself does not make you a hero."

"Granted, shooting oneself may not be a smart thing to do but it turned out to be the only thing you could do."

"He was going to shoot you." Jane said quietly.

"What did you say?" Maura knelt down in front of Jane and used her fingers to raise her chin so she could see her face.

"He said he knew you would come out the door after me and he told me he was going to shoot you as soon as you came through the door. I couldn't let that happen." Maura couldn't move.

She was stunned that Jane had never said anything about it and stunned that Jane would actually take a chance like she did to stop someone from shooting her. She stood up and sat down next to Jane and took her hands again. "You did that for me?" Maura asked in barley a whisper.

"Of course I did. What did you expect me to do let him shoot you? I loved you too much to let that happen." Jane turned and took Maura in her arms. "I was so scared at the thought of him shooting you."

"I was so scared when I saw you lying on the sidewalk bleeding. I sat at the hospital with your blood on me for hours waiting to hear if you were going to be ok. I couldn't move. I was angry and scared at the same time. I was angry that you would do something so stupid and scared that I might never be able to tell you how stupid you were."

Jane started laughing at that and she felt the tension of the day slowly drain from her body. "Thank you. You always know how to make me feel better. I love you very much." She leaned forward and their lips met. The kiss went from gentle to passionate in no time at all. Both women were breathing hard when they pulled apart. Jane looked at her watch over Maura's shoulder. "How long before you finish the autopsy so we can get out of here?"

"Give me another two hours and I'm all yours."

Jane shivered and kissed Maura again. "Ok let me get out of here so you can finish your work. Why not let the report wait until the morning so we can go home and take care of each other." She watched as Maura's smile became devious. "I didn't mean it that way but I won't argue if that's what you want to do."

"Get out of here or I'll take you right here and now." She laughed when Jane's eyes grew to the size of saucers but then she pushed her out of the doors. "See you later." She yelled to the retreating form of her lover.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

Jane walked into the bullpen and felt it immediately. Both Frost and Korsak looked up at her and she didn't like the looks on their faces. "What's up?"

"I found a similar MO from quite a few years back." Frost looked up at Jane with a very serious look on his face.

"What aren't you telling me?" Jane went over and perched on the corner of Frost's desk.

"This took place 30 years ago and went on for about 6 months and total count was 20 women dead and 20 little girls had to watch. The pictures look identical to our crime scene this morning. Then it just stopped." Jane walked around behind his desk to look at the pictures.

"Damn, you aren't kidding when you say identical. This cannot be a coincidence. And they never caught the guy?" Jane tried to read the report over Frost's shoulder.

"No they never did. It just stopped." Korsak said from his desk across the room. "I remember that case."

Jane slapped Frost's arm. "See I told you it pays to have the old man around."

"Hey who you calling an old man?" Korsak spoke up in defense of himself but he was smiling.

"You. I'm calling you an old man. But I'm serious when I say it pays to have you around because you save us time having to look stuff up. You're kind of like Maura but not as smart. You just store cop stuff."

"Now you're calling me stupid? So I'm old and stupid, why do I put up with this abuse?" He looked at Jane and Frost and they could see the smile in his eyes.

"Because you love us like the father we never had." Frost batted his eyelashes at Korsak and laughed.

Korsak ignored him and turned to Jane. "They never caught the guy but it wasn't because of lack of trying. We had a task force of about 6 of the best cops and they got nowhere. This guy was good. I know forensics back then wasn't what it is today now but we couldn't find a thing to tie anyone to the crime. No prints, no fibers, no hair no trace whatsoever. It was frustrating to everyone concerned."

"You worked the case? Is there anything left in property that we could use?" Jane asked excitedly.

"I don't know what good it would do but all we can do is check. Frost was there anything on the computer referencing property?"

He turned back to his computer and Jane watched his fingers fly across the keyboard. "Here it is. Case number 209365. I can't believe it! They actually have something down in the evidence lockers for this case." Frost wrote the file number down and the three of them headed downstairs. It took them awhile to find the boxes but when they did they checked them out and took them back upstairs to the bullpen.

"I can't believe they kept this stuff for 30 years." Jane said as she opened the box and took out the plastic bags. They all put on gloves and Jane opened the first envelop and placed the contents on the tray on her desk. "There's quite a bit here. We should take the clothes down to the techs and see if they can get anything off of them. Maybe they can find something today that they didn't see 30 years ago." Jane picked up the phone on her desk and dialed a number. "Could I speak to Suzy please?" Jane waited until she came to the phone. "Suzy this is Detective Rizzoli. How busy are you today?"

"We've got a few cases why do you ask?" She sounded wary, Jane never called down to her office.

"I'm sure you've heard about the latest case we're working on. Well we've found a case that is eerily similar from 30 years ago and we actually found some evidence from the case. Clothes from the victims and a few other things. If I brought them down to you, how soon could you take a look at them to see if you can find something they missed 30 years ago?"

"I suppose I could look at it right away. Do you want me to send someone up to retrieve the evidence?" The wariness had left her voice.

"That would be great if you could do that. Dr. Isles has the most recent body so there may be some things you could compare. I really appreciate this Suzy." Jane hung up the phone and turned to the guys who were staring at her. "What?"

"That sensitivity training sure changed you." Both Korsak and Frost laughed.

"What are you talking about? Oh you mean Suzy? It's called treating people nicely to get what you need." Jane looked back and forth between Frost and Korsak. "Ok it's more commonly known as manipulation are you both happy?"

"Whew I thought we lost you there for a minute." Korsak laughed as he took a bag out of the box. "Here are some of the cigarettes left at the scenes. Think we can get DNA off of them?"

"Well we will certainly try." They all turned as Suzy walked into the room. "What have we got?"

"There are 20 sets of clothes taken from the women who were killed and the clothes the little girls were wearing. All we could do was gather samples but there wasn't DNA testing back then or half the tests we have now." Korsak placed the boxes on the cart Suzy was pushing.

"Well I'll get started as soon as I get back to the lab and see what we can find. Will the department cover the overtime if I call in a few more techs?"

"I'll pay them out of my own pocket on this one if the department doesn't cover it." Jane spoke up for the first time since Suzy walked in the room.

"It's that important to you?" She looked directly at Jane.

"Yeah it is." Jane said with conviction.

"Then I will work on it personally and put my best techs on what I can't get to." Suzy said as she picked up another box and put it on the cart. "Is there anything else?"

"I think that just about covers it. You have no idea how much this means to me Suzy." Jane said very seriously and this time it was not manipulation, she meant it. She watched Suzy wheel the cart towards the elevator. If this case is going to disturb Maura like it did earlier the sooner we solve it the better. "Frost do a check on anyone who went to prison at the time these crimes stopped who may have recently been released or died. Do we know who owned the property where they were found this morning? Who called it in anyway?"

"It was an anonymous tip made from a pay phone about three blocks from the house. They wanted us to find them when we did. There were no prints on the phone, it was wiped clean. Why would we want to look for someone who recently died?" Korsak asked looking curiously at Jane.

"If it was someone's father and he'd been in prison all this time and he died maybe he passed his craft on to his son or maybe he told another prisoner about his exploits and he wanted to carry on after he got out. Hell if Hoyt can do it why not this guy?" Jane shuddered at the thought of Hoyt.

"This is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack." Frost said with a note of frustration in his voice.

"Well it's the best idea I can come up with. You got any better ideas?" She didn't say it to be nasty she really did want to know if he had a better idea.

"I didn't say it was a bad idea I just said it wasn't going to be easy." He looked up and saw her smirk. "But it's not going to get done by itself so I will get right on it."

"If you weren't so good with computers I would pass it on to someone else but I trust you to get it done." She batted her eyes at him.

"Oh don't try buttering me up like that Rizzoli it doesn't work on me. Ok maybe it works a little bit. Ok maybe it works all the time so I might as well jump into the haystack and get this hunt underway now." He looked up at her and smiled. He looked down at his computer and started entering data.

Jane turned to Korsak. "Is there anything else you remember about this case that might help us?"

"There were three kids that we never got the names of because the parents covered it up. Apparently they came from money and we couldn't break through the barriers they put up. We were able to talk to them and ask them questions but we never knew their names. And seeing as though we never found who did it there was never a need for them to testify in court. All the reports identified them as Jane Doe 1, 2 and 3. The parents were never with them when we questioned them for fear it would identify the kids. They had a Guardian Ad Litem for each of them to make sure we didn't trample all over their rights. We couldn't figure out why they were being so private other than their status in the community." Korsak said with a note of disdain.

"Well I suppose if they are that high up in society they are used to getting their own way. And if they didn't want their children put out there on display for the public then they found a way to do it. What happened to the other girls at the time it happened?" Jane sat down in her chair and rolled it over to Korsak's desk.

"Some of the parents did take advantage of the situation and they exposed the girls to undue attention. One of the girls killed herself about 5 years later and her psychiatrist said that she had told him that the attention was more than she could handle during one of their sessions and after 5 years of therapy she took a handful of pills and left a note then fell asleep and died. A couple of them have done time in prison and the others haven't fared much better. As for the 3 little rich girls I have no idea what happened to them." Korsak sat back in his chair and looked at Jane.

"You've kept up on them all this time?" Jane knew Korsak was the type of cop that would let a case like this get to him.

"I feel like we didn't do them justice and I tried to keep tabs on them over the years. They aren't bad girls just messed up. Something like what happened to them has to do something to the person's psyche. I can understand why something like that could really mess up a person's life."

"Ok is there anything else we might be missing?" Jane pushed her chair back with a frustrated grunt.

"I've gone over it in my mind and I can't think of anything that I've missed.

"Maybe we need to let this go and get some sleep and start fresh in the morning. I'm going to see if I can pull Maura away for the night."

Jane headed down to the morgue prepared for a fight. She flung open the doors of the morgue and was surprised when Maura was not at the autopsy table and there were no body's there either. She walked back to Maura's office and looked in the open door. She watched Maura as she sat behind her desk staring at her computer screen. She could tell by the look on Maura's face that she wasn't buying new shoes like she usually does on her down time. She approached Maura so as not to startle her. "Hey you ready to head home for a few hours of sleep?" Jane whispered as she walked behind Maura's and placed her hands on Maura's shoulders. She looked at the computer screen and saw that she was looking at the case from 30 years ago. Why wasn't she surprised that Maura had been able to find the same thing Frost did. "Maura put it away for tonight let's go home." She reached around Maura and shut the computer down then took her girlfriends hand and led her out of the building.

"Jane there is something I am missing with this case. I just have a feeling." Maura sat in the passenger seat of her Prius as Jane walked around to the driver's side. When she sat down and buckled her seatbelt she held out her hand to Maura. "What?"

"Maura I need the keys to be able to make the car start because we can't go anywhere until the car starts. I thought you with you being the genius and all would know that." She turned and smiled at Maura and saw a genuine smile grace her face for the first time since this morning. Maura handed Jane the keys and Jane pulled out and headed for Maura's house.

"Jane when we get home will you just hold me?" Maura took Jane's hand and rubbed the back of it.

Jane pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to Maura and pulled her against her. "Of course I will."

"I think I would like that. But what about what we talked about this morning?" Maura looked worried.

"You mean making love all night long? We've got the rest of our lives. I think just holding each other is what we both need to get us through this night. I hate it when kids are involved!" Jane slammed her hand against the steering wheel.

"Let's just go home and take care of each other. There's beer in the refrigerator and we can order take out and eat ice cream."

"Is it chocolate chip cookie dough?" Jane asked as she pulled out on to the road again.

"Of course." Maura smiled at the childlike glee on Jane's face.

They pulled into Maura's garage driveway a few minutes later and Jane ran around to Maura's side of the car to help her out of the car. "Are you ok? What is it about this case that is getting to you?"

"Remember the déjà vu at the scene? It was just so strong that I felt as if I was actually a part of the scene. Jane, I'm a scientist and you know I deal with facts but I can't explain these feelings I am having. They are throwing off my sense of 9balance. Maybe a good night's sleep will make a difference." Maura walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out one of Jane's beers and opened it and took a long gulp then placed the bottle on the countertop.

Jane just stood there and watched and had no idea what to say or do. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Maura from behind. "Hey, we'll get through this together just like we always do. I won't let anything happen to you ok?"

Maura turned around in Jane's arms so she was facing her. "Jane you can't control what may or may not happen to me. Although I love the idea that you want to." She went up on her tip toes and gave Jane a kiss. Jane pulled her closer to deepen the kiss then pulled back.

"I know I can't be with you 24 hours a day but I will do my damndest to make sure when I am with you nothing's going to harm you." Jane's eyes showed every bit of the sincerity she felt.

"Thank you." Maura rested her head on Jane's chest. "What do you want to order for dinner?"

"You choose. Let's go change clothes and get comfortable. That will give you time to decide what you want to eat." Jane took Maura's hand and led her to the back of the house to the bedroom they were now sharing. She turned and removed Maura's blouse and bra then slid her tank top over her head. She knelt down and removed her skirt and replaced it with the yoga pants Maura like to use to lounge around the house. Then she gently pushed her down so she was sitting on the bed and proceeded to change into a tank top and shorts. Then she took Maura's hand and led her back out to the living room and pushed her down on the couch. "So have you decided what we're going to eat?"

Maura looked up at her, her eyes shining with love for the woman standing in front of her. "I'm glad I'm the only one that get's to see the tender side of you. You make me feel so special."

"You are special Maura, now what are we going to eat, I'm starving."

"Let's do Chinese ok? You decide what to order but make sure you get me…

"Moo Shoo Gai Pan." They both said it at the same time and then laughed and it seemed to break some of the tension they were both feeling. Jane pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial for their favorite Chinese place and ordered dinner. She then went to the kitchen and retrieved Maura's beer and got one for herself and returned to the living room. She handed Maura her beer the plopped down on the couch next to her and started to put her feet on the coffee table until Maura pointedly cleared her throat. Jane pulled her shoes off and placed them next to her on the floor then put her feet up.

Maura leaned into Jane and felt Jane's arm wrap around her and pull her closer. "I feel so safe when I'm with you."

"Hey what happened to my badass protector?" Maura felt Jane laugh.

"She only comes out when you need protecting. I hide her until she is needed. But she's there all you need to do is ask." Maura smiled up at Jane. They both jumped when the doorbell rang and Jane stood up to answer the door and pay for dinner. She then walked out to the kitchen and retrieved plates and chopsticks and returned to the couch. They ate in silence for the first few minutes but it was a companionable silence as it always was between the two of them.

Maura reached forward and picked up the remote and turned on the TV. She turned it to one of Jane's favorite channels and sat back. "You can watch what you want to watch. Why don't we watch one of the documentaries you saved on the DVR?" Jane served up Maura's food then filled her own plate and sat back with a contented sigh. "I love nights like this."

"What's different about tonight?" Maura sat back and turned towards Jane.

"The guys know better than to call either one of us so we can sit back and not worry about our phones ringing. Now put on one of your shows and let's enjoy it ok?" About an hour later Jane heard Maura's breathing even out telling her she was asleep. She waited about 15 minutes then swung Maura's leg down off of her lap then stood in front of her and placed one arm under her knees and the other behind her back and picked her up and laid her gently on the bed then lay down next to her and brought the covers up to cover both of them. Maura scooted back against Jane and Jane wrapped her arms around her and kissed her then fell asleep.

They both woke to their phones ringing the next morning. "The real world waits." Maura mumbled as she rolled over towards Jane. "I don't remember coming to bed last night. Did you carry me?" Jane nodded. "Good morning." She smiled at Jane and kissed her. "Isles." She turned to answer her phone.

"Rizzoli." Jane grabbed her phone off the nightstand. "Fuck not again! We'll be there soon. Why don't you call Pike? As much I hate him I hate it even more to see you suffer." She walked up to Maura and almost pleaded with her.

"Jane let's get dressed and we'll deal with it when we get to the scene. Who knows it may not happen again." Maura walked by Jane on her way to the bathroom and caressed her cheek.

"I had to try. Ok I'll go use the other bathroom so we can get out of here. Not that I'm looking forward to getting to this scene." She took some clothes and headed down the hallway grumbling as she went. When Jane came out she could still hear the water running in Maura's bathroom so she started a pot of coffee and ran her fingers through her still damp hair. When the coffee was ready she poured a cup for the both of them and was ready to go when Maura came out of the bedroom. "Are you ok?"

"For the time being. Let's just go get this over with." Maura kissed Jane as she walked by her and headed out to the car. Jane grabbed the keys and followed her. They arrived at the scene within 10 minutes and Maura turned to Jane. "Don't worry about me, I'll let you know if I need you." She squeezed Jane's hand then opened the door of the car and left. Jane sat staring after her for a minute then shook her head and ran to catch up with her. She followed closely behind Maura as they entered the house and followed the line of cops to the basement door. Jane watched as Maura took a deep breath and headed down the stairs.

Maura slowly walked down the stairs, at least this time she was prepared for what was to come. She got to the bottom of the stairs and Korsak walked over to her. "You ok Maura?"

"Yes Vince I am fine let's get this over with." She walked into the room waiting for the déjà vu and took a deep breath of relief when it didn't happen. She turned to Jane and smiled then turned back to Korsak all business. "Has the child left already?"

"She's on her way to the hospital and her parents are going to meet her there. Naturally she's pretty shook up." Korsak watched as Maura walked up to the woman hanging from the ceiling by the wrists. This woman looked a bit like Maura but not as much as the first one did. She had the same coloring and facial structure.

She was taking notes and she was well aware of all of the eyes that were focused on her and she was trying to quell the déjà vu that was doing its best to overtake her. She tried to avoid turning around because Jane would surely notice that all was not well with her. It wasn't as bad as the first time but the sense of having been here before was overwhelming and frustrating at the same time. Why was this scene so familiar to her? What was it that was affecting her so strongly? She never reacted to feelings yet here she was working on a crime with nothing but feelings guiding her. Sure there were facts and evidence but the feelings far outweighed everything else. Maura instructed the morgue technicians to help her remove the body and transport it to the morgue. "Looks as if the injuries are consistent with Patricia Fielding, but I will know more once I finish the autopsy." She removed her gloves and prepared to leave the crime scene.

Jane walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maura are you ok?" Maura just nodded her head. Jane leaned in to whisper. "I'll let it go for now but we'll talk later ok?"

Maura turned to Jane with a haunted look and smiled at Jane. "Thank you."

They headed out to Maura's car and Jane drove towards the precinct. "So, I can see this didn't affect you as much as the first one but it got to you didn't it?"

"Yes but at least this time I was prepared and knew what to expect. I felt a little déjà vu but not as strong as the first time. I think I can handle it. I just wish I knew why this was happening to me."

Jane cleared her throat and was unsure how to approach what she wanted to say. She had been thinking some bizarre thoughts that in any other circumstance she would completely ignore but she couldn't ignore them this time. "Maura I have something to say and I would like you to hear me out before you say anything. Can you promise that?"

"I cannot promise that Jane but I will do my best." Maura turned to Jane with a worried expression.

"I think you should talk to your mother and ask her if anything like this ever happened to you as a child."

"Don't you think I would know if I went through what those little girls are going through? Besides I don't think my mother would keep something like that from me. Do you?" Maura looked at Jane like a little lost child.

"Korsak said there were three little girls that came from money and the parents never revealed themselves because they didn't want anyone to know who the children were or they didn't want the world to know what was happening to their girls. Money bought them anonymity and they still have it to this day." Jane pulled into Maura's parking spot and ran around to her side to help her out of the car. "Do you want company or do you need time to think?" Jane asked tentatively.

"I think I need time to think. I will call you later though." Jane walked her to the morgue and pulled her into a hug before she left. "Jane I know how hard it must have been to say what you did and I appreciate your openness. I will think seriously about what you said and I will let you know what I decide. Whatever I do decide, I want you with me if and when I approach my mother."

Jane felt her heart melt all over again at Maura's declaration. "Are you sure? That seems like a family matter and Constance may not be forthcoming with me being there."

"Oh I think she'll be more forthcoming with you there. You are quite intimidating when you set your mind to it and I've seen what it does to my mother." Maura gave her a little smile.

"Oh so you just want me there to intimidate her?" Jane felt a little let down but she smiled anyway..

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck and kissed her soundly. "No my love I want you there because you are my family too and I don't want to keep anything from you. I know that you have intervened on my part with my mother on more than one occasion and she knows it too and you have gained her respect." She laughed at Jane's surprised look. "What? You didn't think I knew you've been talking to her. Or should I say threatening?" She smiled to show she was only teasing. "I love you and I need your support."

"Well if you put it that way how could I say no." Jane leaned down and returned Maura's kiss then turned her around and patted her on her lovely ass. "Now go do what you do so magnificently. Find me some clues. By the way." She waited for Maura to turn back. "I love you too." The smile that lit Maura's face would get her through the day.

"Now go so I can get to work." She smiled and turned around to get to work. Swaying her hips for Jane's benefit.

"Damn you are going to be the death of me woman." She smiled as she turned and headed upstairs.

Maura pulled out her cell phone and dialed her mother's number and waited for her to answer. "Mother I know it's short notice but is your schedule open this evening?"

"Yes darling I just so happen to have a few hours free around 7:00 would that be convenient?" Constance said rather pensively. "Do I get a clue as to what this is about?"

"I'd rather just wait until I see you at 7:00. We'll see you then." She hung up before Constance had a chance to respond. She then sent a text to Jane. _Meeting with mother at 7 is that ok?_ She didn't have to wait long for Jane's response.

_Shall I wear my evening gown _ Maura had to smile at Jane's response.

_Evening wear is optional._

_Are clothes optional? _Maura laughed out loud at that one.

_We'll save that for later. XOXO _

_I'll pick you up about 6:30 XOXO. _Maura turned with a smile on her face to await the arrival of the second woman's body.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"I got an idea today and I already set things up with Maura and I wanted to run it by you guys." Jane sat at her desk and watched as both Korsak and Frost gave her their full attention. She turned to Korsak. "When you said three of the girls were from moneyed families and when you described what lengths the parents went through to keep their identities hidden. I thought about it for awhile and then I thought of why Maura would react the way she did to the first crime scene." She saw when the answer came to both men at almost the same time. "What if she was one of the little girls from 30 years ago? Maura is going to meet with Constance tonight and ask her if she was ever involved in a situation like this. She wants me to go with her and I will."

"Wow. That never would have occurred to me." Korsak said as he leaned back in his chair to think about what Jane had said.

"But it makes sense. How's Maura taking it?" Frost asked from behind his desk.

"Out of sorts. How would you feel at the possibility that your parents would withhold something as big as this from you? I'd feel betrayed." Jane sat at her desk pondering how she would really handle it. "I think that Ma would find me very unreasonable and say she had my best interests in mind at the time. But I would have been one of the girls that either rebelled or would spend all my waking minutes trying to find the bastard."

"Maybe that's what happened here. If Maura is one of the kids maybe her mom did have her best interest at heart when she used her money to keep things hush hush. The press was pretty brutal back then. They didn't let up on the cops or the families until long after the investigation came to a standstill. Maybe that's why Doctor Isles felt compelled to become an ME so she could help others who couldn't speak for themselves."

"That could very well be Vince." They all turned as Maura spoke from the doorway.

Jane jumped up and almost ran to her. "We weren't talking about you Maura. Well we were talking about you but not in the way you think. We weren't gossiping we were talking about you in context to the case. It's not like we sit here and talk about you…ok I'm going to shut up."

"Thank you Jane I know that you were not talking about me in a bad way but Vince does have a valid point. I never could understand my compulsion to be a pathologist when I could have been whatever kind of doctor I wanted to be. I could have saved lives instead of dissected people to find out what killed them. Why did I choose this profession?"

"Because you don't need the accolades or the money? You're a private person and as brilliant as you are you would have ended up in the limelight and that would have killed you." Jane smiled at her as if she had just solved all of the problems of the world.

"You may be right about that. Jane can I talk to you for a minute?" She waited for Jane to stand up and follow her out of the bullpen. She turned when they were both in the hallway and Jane almost bumped into her. "I'm scared Jane. I'm scared that you may be right about my parents withholding information as important as this from me. I'm scared that if it's true then my whole life has been a lie."

"No Maura your life has not been a lie. If it had been then you wouldn't be here with me. You wouldn't love me as much as I love you. If it did happen it happened for a reason. Maybe we'll find that out later when we talk to Constance. Who knows maybe this will all be for naught."

"Did you just say naught?" Maura smiled up at Jane.

"See if it weren't for you I never would have used a word like that. Your life has meaning, if it's for nothing more than to increase my vocabulary at least you made a difference." Jane took Maura's chin in her hand and raised her face so she could look in her eyes. "If this happened to you as a child then it made you who you have become and I love that person very much." She leaned in and kissed Maura gently. There were a few catcalls from officers passing by and the surprised look on Maura's face was what Jane had been working for. "See I don't care who see us, I want the world to know that you are mine and that I love you."

Maura's smile grew and she looked at Jane with a devilish delight. "Shouldn't we have told Angela first?"

"Oh shit! Come on." She took Maura's hand and ran to the elevator. "I'm not doing this alone." When the door closed behind them they found themselves alone in the elevator and Jane pinned Maura up against the wall and captured her lips in a torrid kiss. Neither woman noticed when the door opened.

"Jane Rizzoli what are you doing?" Angela yelled when she saw what was going on in the elevator.

"Oh hey Ma Maura and I are dating." Jane gave her mother a silly grin.

"Is this the way I find out? Not that I didn't already know. Get out of there and come with me." Angela grabbed Jane's hand and led them into the diner. She sat them down at a table and went to get coffee for the three of them. "How many other people knew before you told me?" She gave Jane a hurt look but Jane could see the twinkle in her eyes.

"Well let me see. Frost and Korsak figured it out. And there are a couple of shocked but apparently not surprised cops upstairs and then there's you."

Maura still hadn't said anything, she was too shocked to say a word. She had remembered Jane saying that she wasn't comfortable with public display of affection yet here she sat holding her hand in a very crowded diner filled with cops who knew both of them. A few were giving them angry looks but for the most part there were grins and lots of money changing hands. "Jane I think people have been placing bets on us."

"What are you talking about Maura?" Maura just looked around at the other patrons in the diner. Jane watched as one cops slapped another on the arm then held out his hand as the other cop placed money in it. "Hey Jones how much did you make?"

"Twenty bucks. Thanks Rizzoli." He smiled back at her.

"You only bet twenty? Oh ye of little faith you could have made so much more." Jane turned back to Maura with a huge grin on her face. "You ok Maura?"

"I think she's in shock Jane. You're still holding her hand." Angela looked at Maura and smiled.

"Jane I thought you'd want to keep this a secret?" Maura looked around at the other patrons who seemed to have gone back to what they were doing.

Jane brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Maura I never wanted to keep you a secret I just wanted to tell people when I was ready."

"But you had said you didn't like public displays of affection?" Maura was still confused.

"Until I met you I wanted to keep my public and private lives separate. But since we work together and I may want to kiss you during the day the chances of someone seeing us are pretty high." Jane watched as it sunk in with Maura and she smiled brightly. "Thus, kissing here in the diner or in the morgue or…" She looked at her mother with a smile. "the elevator may become common place." She leaned over and gave Maura a quick kiss. "So you're ok with this Ma?"

"Of course I am. How long has this been going on? And why did it take so long for you to tell me?" Angela looked between the two of them.

Jane looked at her watch then at Maura. Maura answered for both of them. "18 hours and 32 minutes with a few seconds here or there."

"Are you kidding me? I thought it's been going on for months. That's why I was upset about not being told. So it's been less than a day huh?" Angela smiled back and forth between the two women. "I guess getting beaten up did accomplish something. So when are you moving in Jane? And you've just doubled my chances of getting lots of grandbabies."

"Ma! Don't you think you're getting ahead of things here?" Jane looked frantically at Maura for support and her grin said that none was forthcoming. "So you're not going to help me?" Maura just smiled at her as if to say you're on your own. "Ma we've been going out for less than a day and you already want me to move in and start having babies? Give us time to get used to the change in our relationship ok? Besides we have a couple of murders to solve."

"Ok I will leave you alone for the time being, but once this case is over you can count on me to start in on both of you again." Angela looked at both of her girls sitting across from her and she couldn't remember ever seeing them as happy as they looked right now. She reached out and placed her hand over the top of their clasped hands and gave them both a serious look. "I'm happy for both of you. Maura welcome to the family for real now. You've always been like one of my own and now you are."

"Ah Ma now ya made her cry. I hate it when she cries, I don't know how to deal with it." Jane looked at her mother for help.

"Well Jane you had better get used to it if your family keeps saying sweet things like that. Angela, you have been like a mother to me ever since I became Jane's friend and I am glad you feel the same way. But as Jane said we need time to explore this new side of our relationship. With this case we haven't had much time to explore as much as we would like so if you can just give us time it would be greatly appreciated."

"Oh I'm sure the two of you have many things you would like to explore if you know what I mean." Angela nudged Maura with her elbow.

"Ma! Are you really sitting here talking about my sex life? I can't believe you." Jane stood up. "I've got work to do." She turned to Maura. "I'll see you at 6:30 if not before." She leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Love you."

Maura smiled up at her. "I love you too. See you later." Maura watched as Jane left the diner. When she turned back towards Angela she was smiling brightly. "What?" Maura asked Angela

"I've always thought the two of you were good for each other but now that you are together I can see that you will be good for Jane. She's happy and I can see that she makes you happy too. And I have twice the chance if getting grandbabies now."

Maura threw her head back and laughed but then sobered almost immediately. She wondered if Jane wanted kids and if she wanted them with her. "Angela I think I need to go."

Angela grabbed her hand before she had a chance t stand up. "Maura Jane has loved you for a very long time. She may not have even admitted it to herself but she has. She wants kids, she told me that in one of her weak moments but she didn't think she'd ever find anyone to put up with her and her job. Now that she has found you I'm sure that hasn't changed. Give it time."

"How did you know what I was thinking? I didn't know until just now."

"You have such an open face. For a minute there you looked scared and I figured it had something to do with the fact that we were talking about children. Don't worry about it, I'll give you two plenty of time to talk about it before I really start bothering you." Angela stood and kissed Maura on the top of the head. "I need to go in the back and make some sandwiches if you guys insist on working on a Sunday. Don't worry it will all work out fine."

"I hope so." Maura said as she stood up and walked back to the morgue. For the rest of the day she had problems concentrating on anything but having children. They identified the woman and Frost made the notification while Jane was at the hospital talking to the child.

Jane came into the morgue after she finished talking to the little girl. "She was in shock Maura, we couldn't even get her to say her name let alone give us any information about her abductor. She did whisper to her mother that he was always in the dark so she didn't see his face. Maybe that's been the case all along, he's kept himself in the dark so no one could identify him." Jane looked up at Maura and she looked like she was in a trance. "Maura are you ok?" Jane walked around her desk and took Maura in her arms. "Sweetie what's wrong? Another one of those feelings?" Maura could only nod her head. "Let's go home and have a quiet dinner before we have to go see your mother." Maura nodded her head again. Jane grabbed her phone and called Korsak. "Hey Korsak Maura's having problems again, I'm going to take her home. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She hung up the phone then grabbed Maura's jacket and helped her into it. "Let's go sweetie. Let me make you a quick dinner and we can relax for an hour or so." She wrapped her arms around Maura and helped her to the car.

After Jane had started the car and took off she turned to Maura. "Thank you Jane."

"Want to talk about it?" Jane asked gently.

"It happened when you started talking about him being in the dark. I saw a man in shadows and a bare light bulb swinging behind his head. This isn't déjà vu Jane, these are flashbacks. Now more than ever I need to talk to my mother to find out what is going on."

"I'm here for you, you know that right?" Jane asked tentatively and reached for Maura's hand. She felt relieved when Maura squeezed it tight.

"Yes Jane I know you are here for me, that's been the one constant in my life since we met. Have I ever told you what I thought of you the first day I met you?" Maura asked as she leaned her head on the headrest and turned her head to look at Jane.

"Other than being a bossy bitch you mean?" Jane turned her head towards Maura and smiled.

"Oh contraire my friend I thought you were the sexiest woman I had ever seen." Jane gave her a look of surprise. "Yes sexy. You walked up with those sexy long legs and you were wearing a torn sweatshirt and jeans with holes in the knees and I wonder how anyone could make those clothes look so damn sexy."

"It was my day off and Korsak called me and told me I didn't have time to change so I left right then and there. You thought I was sexy huh? How could someone who showed up at the crime scene in Gucci and three inch heels think torn jeans were sexy?"

"Oh you were oozing sex. I never thought I would ever think anyone in anything other than designer clothes would be sexy but you could have knocked me over when you walked up. You took command of the crime scene with nothing more than your presence. Up until that point Korsak had been the senior officer so everyone seemed to defer to his seniority but when you walked up the atmosphere changed drastically. It was palpable, I didn't even have to look up from the body to feel the change but when I looked up I almost fell over right there. I looked into your eyes and saw the laughter you were trying to hide as everyone made jokes about your attire. And when you squatted down next to me and asked me what I thought had happened, that voice sent shivers up my spine and it still does to this day." Maura squirmed in her seat as the memories came back. She looked over and watched as Jane squirmed a little too.

"I couldn't believe you were the new ME. At first I was happy that there was going to be another woman on the team. And the fact that you were really easy on the eyes didn't hurt either. Then when you called blood a brownish substance I couldn't believe you were for real. Then when I came down to the morgue later and saw you in those black scrubs all I could think about was what you would look like out of them. Now that I know I kick myself for all of the time I have deprived myself of your luscious body. Think of all the years we've lost."

"No Jane think of all the years we have ahead of us. We can always make up for lost time but we can't regret losing it. It gave us the time to really get to know each other better than most couples do in the course of their relationship. We didn't need to impress each other like couples feel the need to do. "

"You mean all those skin tight dresses weren't for my benefit?" She turned to Maura and pouted. "Here I thought all this time I watched that tight little behind sashay down the hall you were doing it for me." Jane was happy when she watched Maura throw back her head and laugh.

"I didn't say I didn't want to impress you I just didn't feel like I had to. There's a big difference. I never thought you would ever love me like I loved you so there were quite a few days when I dressed to please myself but with you in mind." She turned her head back towards Jane and watched a smile widen on Jane's face.

"Oh baby you have no idea what those dresses did to me and still do. There were quite few nights I went home and took cold showers, and I even used the showers at the precinct a few times in the middle of the day. It was more often than not that a shower didn't do the trick and I had to take care of myself." Maura watched as she blushed.

"I took care of myself while I was in the shower. Maybe you should let me show you how many different ways my shower heads can please you." Maura smiled as she watched Jane blush and even deeper shade of red and squirm in her seat. "Maybe I can even show you what I do to please myself when you aren't there. I pretend my hands are your hands and I scream your name as I come."

"Ok Maura stop…were not going to make it home if you keep talking like that. Can you imagine the talk around the office tomorrow when we have to explain how one of our fellow officers caught us naked in the backseat of your car?"

"What makes you think you'd make it to the backseat?" Maura reached over and ran her finger around Jane's ear, knowing it was one of her sensitive spots. She smiled when Jane's head leaned towards her hand. "We could move the seats back and do it right here. " She moved her hand down and unbuttoned one of the top buttons on Jane's shirt and her hand slid in to cup one of her breasts and she tweaked one of the swollen nipples.

"God Maura you can't do that! We're going to have an accident." Maura started to move her hand but Jane grabbed it to hold it there. "Just hold it there, we're almost home." Maura leaned over and ran her tongue in and around Jane's ear and was pleased with the moan that escaped Jane's lips. "Oh man you are going to kill both of us."

"Oh but what a way to go." Maura heard the tires screech as Jane pulled into the driveway and the garage door was just barely up far enough for the car to enter when Jane hit the gas again. She turned off the car then hit the button to close the door and ran around to Maura's side of the car and opened the door and grabbed her hand and almost pulled her out of the car. All Maura could do was laugh and follow her.

Jane could not believe how turned on she was. She could not remember ever feeling like this. They just barely got inside the house before Jan pushed Maura up against the wall and attacked her neck with her mouth. "I can't believe you did that to me while I was trying to drive." She ripped the front of Maura's blouse open. "You have no idea how turned on I am right now."

Maura groaned as she felt Jane cover her nipple with her mouth and bite down. "If it's…half as turned...oh god…as I am…damn…then I'm in…oh my god Jane…trouble." Maura felt Jane's knee push up against her oh so wet center and she couldn't stop herself from rubbing against it.

Jane removed Maura's shirt off and threw it on the floor somewhere behind them then went to work on her skirt. "God you are so beautiful. I could just stand here all day and look at you." She moved her knee back and forth to let Maura know that she was going to follow through on her actions. "Tell me what you would do to yourself to relieve the tension of the day Maura."

"God Jane… you can't expect me to talk…when you're doing this to me do you?" Maura moaned as Jane's leg moved faster and she rubbed harder against it.

"Do you want me to stop?" Jane knew she wouldn't but Maura didn't.

"Hell no don't stop Jane." Jane reached behind Maura and unzipped the skirt then lowered it down her legs. Maura stepped out of it and kicked it aside. "Jane I need to feel you…please." Maura was not beneath begging if that's what it took for Jane to keep doing what she was doing. Jane reached down between their bodies and soon Maura heard a ripping sound then felt Jane slowly pulling her lace panties up through her wet folds. When it slid over her overly sensitive clit she almost came right then and there. "God Jane I'm so close. I want you inside me please." She gasped when Jane's hand snaked between them again and she entered her none too gently with three finger and used her knee to push them in as far as she could. "Ahhh. Don't move for a minute. I want this to last a little longer."

"Oh I can promise you this will go on longer than you think. We have the whole night ahead of us and we have so much exploring to do." Jane pulled back slightly then pulled her fingers almost all of the way out then plunged them back in again before Maura even had a chance to realize what she was going to do. "God I love you Maura." Jane said as she kissed her neck then licked where she had just kissed.

"Oh Jane! That feels so good. I am sooo close…JANE!" Maura felt her whole body start to convulse and Jane held on for the ride. "I Love You Jane." She almost screamed her declaration of love. Jane pumped her fingers as fast as she could wanting to make sure the orgasm lasted as long as she could make it. She slowed her fingers and held Maura against her lovingly.

She felt Maura go slack and she realized Maura had passed out. She carefully picked her up and walked back to the bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed. She removed Maura's bra, the only piece of clothing left on her then stepped back and admired her body unashamedly. She finally removed her own clothing and lay down next to her and pulled the blanket up to cover the two of them. She rested her head in her hand as she stared down at the woman next to her. She reached forward and moved a stray strand of hair from her face and leaned down and kissed her forehead. She gently ran her finger through Maura's hair and waited. Maura began to stir a minute before Jane started to get worried.

Maura slowly opened her eyes and looked up into the charcoal brown eyes of the most beautiful woman in the world. She finally realized she was in her bed and no longer in the living room. "I passed out didn't I?" Jane smiled and nodded her head. "I've heard about that happening but it has never happened to me before." She reached up and caressed Jane's cheek. Jane turned her head and kissed her palm.

"Are you ok?" Jane asked worriedly. "You were out for about 5 minutes and I was starting to get worried." Jane leaned down and kissed her gently.

"Oh I am more than ok. I am excellent." The smile on her face was radiant and Jane felt her chest puff out knowing she was the cause of it. "I swear if you were standing up you'd be strutting like a peacock, proud of yourself aren't you? As well you should be. I've always thought of myself sexually experienced but I have never felt what you made me feel." She rose up and pulled Jane down for a toe curling kiss then pushed Jane over so she was on top of her. "I wonder what it would take for you to feel the same as I felt."

"I don't think so." Jane's smile was like a challenge to Maura. She felt Maura's tongue on her neck and she knew she was lost. "Damn Maura has anyone ever told you that tongue should be registered as a lethal weapon?" Her hands were fisted in the sheets and her hips moved of their own accord.

"Are you going to arrest me for carrying a concealed weapon?" Maura looked up at Jane with a devilish grin.

"Only if you want me to." Jane said in her sexy gravelly voice.

"Maybe we'll save that for another time. Tonight it's all about being able to touch and be touched. I want to touch you everywhere and you can feel free to do the same thing. But for right now it's my turn to make you feel good." Maura slowly kissed her way down Jane's body paying special attention to her numerous scars and bruises. Kissing them and licking them to show Jane that they not only did not disgust her but she thought of them as a part of Jane.

"Maura don't." She tried to push Maura away from her gunshot scar. She was still self conscious about it.

"Jane it's a part of you, it shows me how brave you are and how much you care. So never be ashamed of one scar on this magnificent body." She smiled as she watched Jane blush. "You have at least four that are directly connected to me so those are mine to do whatever I want to with them."

Jane gave her a confused look. "How can they be yours and where do you count four of them?"

Maura was lying on top of Jane so she had access to all of them. She scooted up just enough to touch then kiss the slight scar on her forehead from where she had head butted the guard. "Bet you forgot about this one. It's so faint you can hardly see it anymore but I know it's there and I know why it's there. Then there is this one." She repeated her actions on the scar on her neck. "We have almost matching scars, yours is a little worse because it seems he cut on the same spot all three times he cut you. You have no idea how scared I was when you didn't show up at your apartment that night. I thought I'd lost you to him." She showed extra attention to her neck and soon felt Jane's excitement building again. "Let's move on shall we?"

"Maura are you trying to kill me. I love all the things that you said but the things you are doing are driving me crazy." Jane's hips nudged Maura to give her a hint.

"Good things come to those who wait Jane. And good things will definitely come." There was that evil grin again and Jane smiled back. "Now where was I?" Jane pointed to her neck. "Ah yes. Thank you." Her lips made a slow descent down her neck to just above her breasts and stopped then looked up at Jane and Jane gave her a _don't you dare _look and Maura just laughed. "Making love with you is so different than any other experience I have ever had. I have never been playful during love making but with you it feels like I can be."

"Maura you can be as playful as you want to be as long as you get on with it." Jane gave her a playful but slightly frustrated look.

"Are you getting frustrated Jane." Maura asked innocently but her eyes said she knew exactly what she was doing to her. "Now you know how I've felt for the last 6 years." She lowered her head and took a very hard nipple into her mouth and listened as Jane moaned and knew she found her new favorite sound. She continued to lick and kiss her way over every inch of Jane's abdomen. "I love that you keep yourself in such good shape. Your Transversus abdominis are perfect for a woman of your size and stature." She licked around her belly button and could feel the muscles quivering beneath her hand. She decided it was time to stop the teasing, besides she wanted to hear those moans again. She moved her fingers to Jane's oh so wet opening and plunged them in with no warning.

"Aw shit Maura! That feels sooo good. More I need more." Maura added another finger to the two that were already pumping in and out at a furious pace. "God Maura…sooo…" Jane couldn't say anything more before her world turned upside down with the strongest orgasm she has ever had. She reached down and stopped Maura's hand because she couldn't take anymore. "Stop. I can't take anymore." She pulled her hand back and it just flopped on the bed. "I have no strength left in my body."

"Does that mean if I wanted to keep going you couldn't stop me?" Maura moved up and lay down beside Jane and rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

"I probably couldn't stop you but I'm begging you to let me rest." She wrapped her arm around Maura and pulled her close and sighed when Maura snuggled closer. "I've never liked to snuggle but with you I can't get enough of it. I've always liked to touch you because you respond so well to my touches but now I want you here all the time."

"I feel the same way." Maura raised her head and gave Jane a very gentle kiss then laid her head back down.

"Love you." Jane said very quietly and when Maura looked up she had fallen asleep.

"I love you too." Maura pulled the sheets up over both of them and lay there until sleep consumed her.

Maura woke about an hour later and looked at the clock and shook Jane awake. "Don't wanna get up it feels too good to just lay here with you."

"I agree with you but we need to leave for my mother's house in about ½ an hour so get up." Maura kissed Jane's cheek and headed for the bathroom to get ready.

Jane was ready in 20 minutes and was sitting on the couch waiting for Maura when she came down the hallway. "Damn woman you are gorgeous. I feel frumpy next to you."

Maura looked over what Jane was wearing and thought she looked great in the dark jeans and dark jacket. "You don't look half bad yourself." Maura walked over and took Jane's hand then led her out the door.

They arrived at her parent's mansion right on time and they were escorted to the sitting room where Constance sat drinking coffee. She looked between the two women and sensed that this was not friendly visit. "Why do I have the feeling this is not a cordial visit."

"Because it's not mother I have a few questions that I need the answers to and I need them now." Maura was not beating around the bush and Jane saw that for once Maura was not afraid of her mother. "Jane and I are involved in a case that seems to bringing back memories that I know I would never have forgotten had it really happened to me. Was I kidnapped when I was younger and forced to watch a woman be tortured and killed. Did this happen to me?"

Jane watched Constance closely and she saw a slight twitch in her right eye but if it was a reaction to Maura's statement she was able to hide it very well. "Maura dear I would surely have told you if anything like that had happened to you. And as you said that isn't something you would have forgotten easily. I'm sorry forgive my manners. Would either of you like some coffee?"

"No mother we're not staying. Are you sure this never happened?" Jane stepped forward as if to intervene but held herself back to give Constance a chance to answer. "Where's father?"

"Your father is in Geneva for the week." Constance finally stood up and walked towards Maura and stopped directly in front of her. "This is not something a mother keeps from her only child. Nothing like this ever happened to you." She raised her hand and gently caressed Maura's cheek. "I would have told you."

Jane knew something wasn't right but she couldn't put her finger on it. One thing she did know was that Constance, even if she knew something, was not going to tell them anything tonight. "Come on Maura let's go. She's not going to help us."

"But Jane…" Maura looked back and forth between Jane and her mother.

"Come on Maura." Jane took her hand and almost dragged her out of the house. Once they had left the house Maura stopped in her tracks and Jane was swung around and almost crashed into Maura. "Damn Maura you trying to break my already bruised ribs?" For the first time in the last 24 hours she grabbed her ribs in pain. "I almost forgot they were hurt, thanks for the reminder."

"I'm sorry Jane I didn't want to hurt you, are you ok?" Jane just nodded. "Good now maybe you can explain why you just pulled me out of my parents house as if there was a plague or something in the house."

"She wasn't going to tell us anything. She knows something but for some reason she isn't going to say anything. Let's just give her time to think about it and approach her again tomorrow. Let's go home and get comfortable.

"But Jane if she knows something I want to know it too. Why can't we go back in and get her to tell us?" Maura was even more confused than when they first got here.

"Remember when you say I'm one of the best interrogators you've ever seen? Well that's because I can read people. Your mother is afraid of something but she's not in this alone so I think if we give her time to talk to whoever she needs to talk to she'll talk to us when she's ready. It won't be long. Be patient." Jane leaned forward and kissed Maura. "Let's go home ok?"

"Ok, you're the people person so if you say we can't do anything then I guess we wait." When they got home Maura turned on the Sox game and Jane settled in on the couch why Maura went out to the kitchen and prepared a plate of things then poured a glass of wine and grabbed a beer for Jane then joined her on the couch. They watched the Sox win and then went to bed. "Jane can we just snuggle tonight?"

"As long as you're beside me then it's just fine." They both went through their nightly routine then Jane walked through the house checked all the doors and joined Maura in the bedroom. She lay down on her side of the bed and when Maura moved closer she wrapped her arm around her. "Stop worrying about it Maura Constance will come through for you but on her time schedule."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Maura rested both of her hands on Jane's chest then rose up to look at Jane.

Jane reached up and stopped Maura from chewing a hole through her lip. "Because you're chewing your lip as if someone had lathered it with your favorite chocolate ice cream." Jane leaned up to kiss that very same lip. "Now relax I have a feeling we have a long day ahead of us."

"Ok I will try. I'm not saying I will sleep but I will try." She lay her head back down and Jane pulled her close and just rubber her fingers up and down her arm until Maura fell asleep. Jane finally closed her eyes and fell asleep too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Maura woke the next morning and found that she was alone in bed and Jane's side of the bed was cold. Just as she was beginning to worry she heard Jane coming down the hallway. She lay back and relaxed when she heard Jane humming as she came through the doorway carrying a tray laden with food. "You were supposed to be sleeping so I could kiss you awake with my surprise."

"Shall I pretend I'm asleep?"

Jane shook her head no and pretended to pout. "I just wanted to do something special for you."

Maura sat up and patted the bed next to her. "This is very special Jane. No one has ever served me breakfast in bed." Jane ignored where she patted the bad and signaled for Maura to move forward and she climbed in behind her then pulled her back against her.

"You are special Maura and you deserve breakfast in bed every day but that would get rather mundane don't you think?" Jane smiled as she fed a strawberry to Maura. "Now sit back and enjoy your breakfast we've got about an hour before we have to head in to work." Jane said as she fed her one of the blueberries doused in cream.

Maura was having such a good time that what Jane had said hadn't registered right away then she sat forward quickly only to have Jane pull her back. "Jane I can't possibly get ready in that amount of time." She tried to get out of bed but Jane held her down.

"For once forget about trying to look like a runway model and enjoy the moment. There will be plenty of time for you to get ready. You can do it." She felt Maura relax in her arms.

"You know Jane I could get used to this. Not just breakfast in bed, although that was a very pleasant surprise but I could really get used to waking up next to you and spending this quiet time together before we have to face the realities our jobs. I feel so safe when I'm in your arms." She leaned her head back and pulled Jane down for a kiss that started out slow but quickly became very heated.

"You keep that up and we'll never make it into work." Jane reached under Maura's arms and took one of her bare breasts in her hand and was pleased with the quick intake of breath from Maura. "Finish your breakfast while I take a quick shower. I have to distance myself from you because you are far too tempting and we've got a murderer running around our town that we need to stop." She stood up then turned to kiss Maura very soundly. "I'll use the guest bathroom so you can have your domain to prepare yourself when you are ready." She looked at the clock. "You have about ½ an hour. By the way, you are beautiful when you sleep and you are beautiful as you look right now. And I too could get used to waking up next to you every morning." She turned and sashayed out of the room putting and extra sway in her hips for Maura's benefit.

Maura threw some of the fruit in her mouth then headed for her bathroom knowing she was not going to be able to take her time in her preparations as she usually does. She smiled all through her showing remembering some of the things she and Jane had done to each other the night before. She wondered if Jane would be a willing participant if she introduced a few toys into their lovemaking. She could picture Jane taking her hard and fast with a strap on and wondered how adventurous Jane would be. Just the thought was getting her hot so she forced her mind to concentrate on getting ready. She surprised herself by being ready in less than half an hour and she joined Jane in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She actually blushed when she entered the kitchen and saw Jane and pictured her taking her right there in the kitchen with the strap on.

"What are you thinking Maura?" Jane handed her a cup of coffee just the way she liked it. "You're blushing so something's up. Spill it."

"Spill what Jane?" Maura asked trying to deflect her question. "Do you want me to spill my coffee? What would be the purpose of that?"

Jane walked up and wrapped her arms around Maura. "You have something on your mind and if it's causing you to blush I would really like to know what it is."

"I think it's too soon in our relationship to be discussing what's on my mind. It might scare you away." Maura dropped her head to avoid Jane's stare.

Jane placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face so she could look her in the eye. "Maura, we've been through a lot together and it would take something totally horrendous for me to walk away. I mean real horrendous."

Maura bowed her head again. "I was imagining you using a strap on on me while I was showering and it really turned me on." She heard Jane's breathing hitch and she was afraid she had gone too far.

Jane used the same finger to raise her chin again and waited until Maura opened her eyes before she allowed the smile to escape. "I was thinking about it last night but I wasn't sure it was something you'd be into. Of course I've never done it before but it can't be too hard right?" She gave Maura a smirk.

"I think between the two of us we should be able to figure it out. So do you want to go with me to buy it?"

Now it was Jane's turn to blush. "If you don't mind I'll leave that up to you."

Maura leaned up and kissed Jane. "Thank you. Now let's get to work I've got some shopping to do." She gave Jane one more quick kiss and headed to the car.

"Oh you are going to be the death of me." She said as Maura handed her the keys. "I am so the man but you got me whipped." She muttered to herself as she followed behind Maura.

"Did you say something about whipping?" Maura turned back to Jane with a smirk of her own.

"Oh no you did not hear that." Jane said the last as she was pulling the car out of the garage.

"Too bad." Maura smiled at Jane and sat back and rested her head against the head rest and closed her eyes.

"What are you thinking? Forget I asked I'm not sure I want to know." She shook her head and laughed.

"I'll show you later." Was Maura's last remark as they pulled into her parking spot behind the precinct. "I hope we have a quiet day today. I want to finish the autopsy on our latest victim and maybe we can go home at a fairly decent time."

Jane kissed her at the elevator. "I'll see you later and I'll let you know if anything comes up. See you at lunch?"

"Count on it." Maura turned towards the morgue as Jane headed upstairs to the bullpen. As Maura was preparing for the autopsy she heard the back door bell ring and she knew she was the only one there at the moment. She went to answer it and when she opened the door she didn't have time to react before the hooded man's fist made contact with her chin. She felt the needle prick before she could fight back and the world went black in a matter of seconds.

About an hour later the three detectives we're surprised when Suzy came running into the bullpen. "You guys need to come with me, fast." She turned and headed back to the elevator without waiting. Jane gave Frost and Korsak a look and shrugged her shoulders then headed out to follow the lab tech. When they entered the elevator Suzy began to speak fast. "I went to the morgue to ask Dr. Isles a question but when I got there she wasn't there."

"Did you check the bathroom." Frost asked from the back of the elevator.

Suzy turned and gave him a look that said 'duh'. "Don't you think I thought of that? I checked her office then the restroom then I went towards the back of the morgue and found the door wide open and one of Dr. Isles' shoes lying on the floor. Why would there only be one shoe? Where's the other one?"

Jane almost ran out of the elevator and crashed through the morgue door and headed straight for the back door. She saw Maura's shoe lying there and started to reach for it but was stopped by Korsak's voice. "Gloves Jane! We can't take any chances." Jane turned to him with a dazed look on her face. "Maybe you should sit down."

"It's him. I don't know how or why but I know this is the guy whose handiwork we've been investigating. And now he's got Maura if we don't find her soon she's going to look like that." She pointed to the body still on the autopsy table. She turned and walked out of the morgue towards the bathroom and she stood at the sink and held on for dear life. "Fight Maura, I'll find you, I promise I will find you."

Maura woke about an hour later and knew instantly that she was in trouble. She looked up and saw that her hands were tied above her head and the rope was tied to one of the wooden beams overhead. Her feet touched the floor so at least there wasn't any strain on her arms although they we going to be numb soon. She looked around the room and saw the little girl lying on the bed. "Hey sweetie are you ok?" All she did was nod her head. "My name is Maura what's yours?"

The little girl scooted down to the end of the bed as far as the chain would let her and looked at Maura then held one finger to her lips. "Shhh he told me I shouldn't make any noise."

"Maybe if we just talk loud enough so we can hear each other you won't get in trouble. Do you think you can do that?" Maura's arms were going numb from lack of circulation but she was trying hard to keep it from this little girls. "So what is your name?"

"My name is Jenny, are we going to be ok?" Jenny looked like she was going to start crying and Maura wasn't sure what she should do.

"Sweetie, you're going to be just fine. It may take a couple of days but you'll be ok." That seemed to calm her down a little bit. "I have a friend who works for the police department and she's probably looking for me right now so we won't be here long."

"Is she a good police officer?" Jenny settled down on the end of the bed.

"She's the best. She's a decorated hero." Maura remembered back to the award ceremony and hoped she'd be able to tell Jane how proud she was that night.

"What did they decorate her with? Mommy always uses crepe paper and rainbows for my parties because I really like rainbows. Did they decorate her with rainbows?" Jenny sat back as if she was very proud of herself.

"No honey not that…" Maura smiled at the naiveté of the child and for the first time in her life she wished she were a child again. "They decorated her with a ribbon."

"I like ribbons too. But not as much as the rainbows my mommy made. Am I going to see my mommy again?" Jenny started crying. "I miss my mommy."

"Yes sweetie you will see your mommy again. Maybe not today but very soon. I promise. My friend will get all of her friends to find us, they are probably looking already and they won't stop until they find us."

"Are you sure?" She looked up at Maura hopefully.

"Yes I am." Maura hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.

"So are you two getting to know each other?" Maura turned towards the voice that was over in the direction of the stairs. She had to turn her head away when a very bright light was shined in her direction. She heard his boots on the floor, they were very heavy steps. She couldn't tell if it was because the boots were heavy or because the man was big. She still couldn't look into the light because it hurt her eyes. She felt his breath on her neck and when she tried to turn her head to look at him he hit her in the jaw with a closed fist.

"Don't hit her she's a nice lady." He turned toward Jenny.

"Leave her alone." Maura said through the blood on her lips. "It's ok sweetie. I'm ok. Don't worry about me just try to be quiet. Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try." Maura's heart broke at the sound of the tiny voice. She also knew that this was just the beginning and she didn't want Jenny to get hurt.

"Try really hard ok?" Then she turned towards the man. "Don't hurt her ok? You didn't hurt any of the others and I'll do whatever you say as long as you don't hurt her." The wind was knocked out of her when he punched her hard in the solar plexus.

"You are in no position to be trying to make deals. I'll do whatever I please to either of you. And you already know what's in store for you. You've seen my handiwork first hand. I've followed you and I must say you've done well for yourself."

"Why would you have followed me? I mean nothing to you." Maura had a feeling that she was not a random kidnapping.

"Oh I've followed all of my little girls just like I will follow Jenny for the rest of her life. You're my shining star Maura. You seemed to have taken what happened to you and used it to push yourself above and beyond most people's expectations."

He took another puff on his cigarette as he walked towards Maura. "You're a very beautiful woman Maura. Has anyone ever told you that? I'm sure your equally beautiful Detective Rizzoli has told you often enough." He grabbed the front of Maura's shirt and ripped it downward to expose her flesh. He raised the cigarette and ground it into her left shoulder. Maura couldn't stop the scream that escaped her lips but she was quick to smother it. "Oh you're going to be able to start out strong but by the end of the day today you'll be begging me to stop.

Maura took a deep breath and raised her head to look at the man. "What do you mean when you say you've followed all of your girls? I don't remember you."

"Are you trying to tell me you don't remember what happened to you when you were Jenny's age? When you were in her position and another woman was in yours." He took pleasure in her look of surprise. "I know that you and Detective Rizzoli paid a visit to your mother and I would hazard a guess that it was to discuss your childhood. So who put two and two together?"

"Jane did just yesterday." She felt the back of his hand make contact with her cheek and knew the ring on his finger broke the skin maybe even more. The pain was intense.

"So what did mommy dearest have to say about it? She denied it didn't she? Just like she thought she hid you from me by keeping you out of the limelight. I knew who you were and I was able to watch you from afar. When they refused to pay the ransom they signed your death warrant. You see, there were parents who paid the ransom and their children have been spared what you are going through now. Those who didn't pay are paying the price now." He slapped her across the face again.

"But all of the children were released."

"Maura are you ok?" Came a quiet voice from the bed. "Did he hurt you? I don't want him to hurt you."

Maura could hear the tears in her voice. "No Jenny I'm fine. Just be good ok? Can you do that for me?"

"It's hard but I'll try. Mister can you be nicer to her. I don't like it when my friends get hurt." There was pleading in her voice.

The man turned around to Jenny and sat down next to her on the bed. "I'm only going to hurt her a little more, you can close your eyes if you don't want to watch and if you put your fingers in your ears you can hardly hear her." Maura was surprised at how gentle he was with Jenny. She watched as Jenny listened to his every word and she hoped for the little girl's sake she believes him and doesn't suffer too much. "Do you want to listen to some music? I have some Disney songs you can sing along with. Does that sound good?" Jenny nodded her head solemnly. "Wait right here I'll be right back."

After he left the room and Jenny turned to Maura. "Is it ok if I listen to music? I don't want you to feel left out."

"Oh honey it's great if he has some music you'll like. I don't mind at all. I really hope you can sit back and enjoy it."

"Can I close my eyes? I don't want to watch him hurt you. I wish I could help you but I'm too little." Her voice was breaking again and it was breaking Maura's heart.

"You are helping me Jenny. Every time you smile I feel better and I bet you're a real good singer so when he brings the music I want you to sing as loud as you can ok? Sing for me ok?"

Jenny smiled and nodded her head vigorously. "Mommy says I sing like and angel so I will sing for you so maybe it won't hurt as much. Will that help?"

"Yes sweetie that will help very much. You have no idea how much that will help." Maura smiled at her and tried not to wince at the pain she was feeling.

The man came back with an iPod and headphones. "Here you go Jenny. Do you know how to work that?" He asked as he handed her the iPod.

She nodded. "Mommy bought me one for Christmas last year." She put the headphones on then looked up at Maura as if asking her permission. Maura nodded and Jenny turned the music on and lay down on the bed.

"Can I at least know your name as long as you are going to kill me anyway?" Maura tried to see his face but once again he was standing with the light behind him and she couldn't make out his features. Maura smelled the cigarette smoke again and she tried to prepare herself for the pain but it was no use. She screamed as he ground the cigarette into her stomach then relit it and repeated the action on various parts of her body. She could smell the burning flesh and she never thought the smell would get to her but I guess it's different when it's your own flesh. She felt the bile rise in her throat and she fought the urge to throw up.

"So had any of this come back to you yet or did your mother have you reprogrammed so good none of this can break through the wall your therapist helped build? You were such a vivacious outgoing little girl and you seemed to take the whole experience in stride. But after you went to Europe and I assume some therapy it seemed as if you gave up on ever being happy again. It's almost as if they wiped out any memory of your life before the day I took you. You and I spent the first day together alone and you were very inquisitive and happy even though you knew there was something wrong with the situation. I told you some of what was going to happen and I don't think you really grasped it until I brought the woman in."

Maura thought about what he had said and she wondered if there was some truth to what he said. Her early years had always seemed hazy but her mother always brushed it aside when she brought it up. She looked up at the man in front of her and knew that he was telling the truth. She wondered what other things in her life were missing. She hung her head and tried to think. She looked down at his shoes and tried to remember every detail she could about this man. She watched as one boot swung back them came forward and made contact with her left shin. She heard bone break and she almost passed out. She tried to stand on just one leg so it wouldn't hurt as much but he kicked the other leg too. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up so she would have to look at him.

"Don't you ever ignore me like that again or I will do much worse. I don't want to do too much on the first day, we have to make this last. Have a good night. Hope you can sleep." He gave and evil laugh and left the room.

After the light was turned off she looked over to the bed and it looked as if Jenny was sleeping so she didn't say anything but she quietly started crying.

"Guys you work the morgue I have someone I need to visit." Jane turned and started to leave the room but turned when Korsak cleared his throat. "What?"

"Do you want some company?" Jane knew he wasn't asking as a cop but as a friend.

"No this is something I have to do by myself. But thanks." She turned and walked out to the parking and she hopped in her cruiser and headed out. She arrived at her destination in record time and pounded on the front door and it didn't take long for it to be answered. She didn't give the woman who answered the door any time to say anything but headed for where she knew her quarry was. She opened the door and watched as Constance jumped in surprise. She was sitting there in jeans and a sweatshirt (designer jeans but jeans nonetheless) and Jane was surprised at how different Constance looked when she was all made up for her public. "Now you are going to tell me what you refused to tell Maura last night."

"Detective you have no right to come into my home unannounced. Make an appointment and come back them." Constance turned and tried to ignore Jane and she hoped she couldn't see how intimidated she felt.

"I have every right Constance. We've had two murders and they affected Maura in a way that no other murders have and now the son of a bitch has Maura and she is going to wind up on the slab in the morgue if you don't tell me everything you know about this case." Jane watched as the color drained from Constance's face and she almost felt sorry for her.

Constance grabbed the back of the chair she had been standing behind and used it to walk around and sit in the chair. "Oh my god he has Maura? What can I do?"

"You can start by telling me the truth about what happened when she was a child, the truth you withheld from us last night. It's somehow connected to this isn't it?" Jane could not hide the anger in her voice nor did she want to.

"Would you like something to drink? This may take awhile." She walked over to the bar and poured herself a drink at 10:00 in the morning.

"No thank you I'm on duty. Do you have coffee?" Jane walked up beside her and watched as she reached for a coffee pot. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll pour my own." Jane poured her coffee then took a seat in a chair across from Constance. "You can start anytime but I don't think we have time for the long version, you can save that for Maura when we get her back."

"You sound so sure you'll get her back. None of the other women got out alive." Jane watched as reality set in for Constance.

"None of the other women had me and all of the Boston Police force looking for them. Maura is our friend and we'll stop at nothing to get her back. Now tell me what I need to know."

"Maura was kidnapped when she was 8 years old and she was forced to watch that madman torture and kill that poor woman. That's what's happening to her now isn't it?" Jane just nodded and Constance could see the strain on Jane's face and knew that Maura was very important to her. "The man called on the second day and demanded a ransom and Maura's father refused to pay it because he said all of the other kids were released without paying the ransom. Three days later we get a call from the police that they have our daughter."

"Did you think to call in any other agency for help? You know like the police or the FBI? They could have helped." Jane was pacing as she always did when she was agitated. And she was definitely agitated with Constance Isles right now. "How could you do nothing to get your own child back?"

"He told us if we brought in the police he would kill Maura and she would be returned to us in a body bag. I couldn't risk that." Jane could see she was reliving the nightmare from 30 years ago.

"But you thought if you didn't pay the ransom he would return her safe & sound?" Jane's voice was dripping with sarcasm and she noted that Constance picked up on it.

"We were told the other girls were released without the ransom." Constance stood up and headed for the bar again.

"And who told you this?"

"We hired a private investigator and he told us that this had already happened to 4 other families and the children were released when the police found them." Constance poured herself a glass of water and Jane noticed that her hand was shaking.

"Did he tell you what happened to the women? They were tortured relentlessly and beaten until they were dead and that is what's happening to Maura as we speak. Personally the idea of what may be happening to her breaks my heart and sickens me and I would like to find her as soon as possible so the bastard doesn't do too much damage. Now what else can you tell me?" Constance was openly crying now but Jane didn't have time to be sentimental.

"Oh my god!" Constance sat down again and looked up at Jane with pleading eyes. Jane felt a short stab of guilt but it didn't last long. "When we got Maura back we decided we didn't want to drag her through anything after the police finished questioning her so we took her to our chalet in Switzerland. We had the best psychologist money could buy come and spend time with Maura until she seemed to be ok. It took about 6 months before she could even leave the house. Then all of the sudden she was playing again, maybe she wasn't as happy as before but she never again mentioned those days he had her. She told me some of what happened but she never went into detail and after she saw the psychologist it was never mentioned again."

"Did you talk to the psychologist and ask him what was said or what he did behind closed doors?" Jane was running out of patience, this was getting her nowhere. She knew something was up when Constance lowered her head and mumbled something. "What was that? I didn't hear you."

"We had her hypnotized. She doesn't remember it." Constance was almost shouting at Jane.

"You had it erased from her memory? What else did he wipe out? Is that why her memories of her early childhood are so vague? How could you do that to her?" Jane was shouting right back.

"Richard, Jane's father, thought it was the best thing to do under the circumstances. She was traumatized and we didn't know what else to do?"

"So you had her memory erased by using hypnotism? What kind of people are you? You think just because you have money you can do whatever the hell you want. Well let me tell you this, for the past week your daughter has been having flashbacks that have been driving her crazy because she couldn't figure out where they were coming from. Then last night you sat here and lied to her face and now she's going through hell. If I had known I could have protected her, I would have stayed with her to make sure this didn't happen." Jane was openly crying at this point.

"Jane you can't blame yourself." Constance stood up and walked over to the young woman who obviously loved her daughter very much. Jane turned away before Constance could touch her. "We made a decision a long time ago to never tell her what happened and I decided last night that it would only make things worse."

"Worse for who, you or Maura? She's been going through hell the last couple of days and just by confirming her suspicions last night you could have made things right. But no, you were too busy thinking about yourself, protecting your dirty little secret. Look where that got us. I have to go, I've got to do whatever I can to find Maura." She turned to leave but was stopped by the hand on her arm.

"Jane I know you don't think much of me right now but I do love Maura very much and thanks to you I've been able to show her that over that last month or so. Can I come with you and help in any way possible?" Her voice was so low Jane almost didn't hear her.

"Ma's going crazy in the diner so I guess you can keep each other company. That way I can pick your brain if I need to. Come on I don't have time to wait for you to primp." Jane turned and didn't wait to see if Constance was following or not. She got in the car and started the engine as Constance opened the passenger door. She waited just long enough for her to shut the door then pulled off. "If anything comes to your mind I want to hear it. If you have any ideas I want to hear them. Nothing is too small and no idea is insignificant. OK?" Jane glanced over to Constance.

"I understand. You love her very much don't you? I'm glad." Jane almost did a double take. "What? You didn't think I knew. I've never seen Maura as happy as she is when she's with you. Does she know?"

"Yes she does, we've been dating for a couple of days now. She makes me very happy and I will not stop until I find her and bring her home. She my reason for waking each morning." Jane blushed when she realized what she had just said.

"I knew you'd be good for her. She needs someone who will be her equal and challenge her and she values your opinion and you'll keep her on her toes. I'm very sorry I kept things from both of you last night and realize now how wrong it was and I'm sorry. I will do whatever can to make it up to both of you, I promise."

Jane pulled into her spot and almost lost it when she saw Maura's car sitting in her assigned spot and felt Constance's hand on her back gently guiding her into the building. They went to the diner and Jane left Constance there with her mother with orders to keep the food and coffee coming and headed upstairs. She walked into the bullpen and tried to smile at Frost and Korsak sitting there looking at her with frowns on their faces. "Ok Frost I want the names of all of the children who survived 30 years ago including the names of the little rich girls. Constance finally told me that Maura was one of them. I want to compare the list of names to the two women who have already died. I want to see if he is revisiting the survivors and using them as the women now. If he is we need to contact them and tell them what is happening. Right now we need to find a way to find Maura before he inflicts too much damage." Jane sat down at her desk and lowered her head to her arms resting on her desk. The guys had no idea what to do so they just left her alone and went to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Maura are you awake?" Came the quiet voice from the bed.

Maura lifted her head as much as she could and looked at Jenny. "Yeah sweetie I'm awake. How are you?" Maura tried to move her arms to regain some of the circulation but there was no way to move them. They felt as if someone was poking needles into them everywhere and her wrists hurt from the rope chafing them.

"I'm fine Maura how are you? Does it hurt very bad? I don't like that man even if he does give me good music to listen to." Maura could hear the fear in her voice but was having problems looking at her because her eyes were swelling closed.

"It hurts a little bit but I'm ok. Don't worry about me, my friends will be here soon." She prayed she was right because unlike Jane she was not cut out for this. Jane could handle the pain but Maura had a very low tolerance for pain. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. After Jenny had gone to sleep he had come back in and burned her numerous times and had beaten her mercilessly and she didn't actually fall asleep, it was closer to losing consciousness from the beating. She was having a problem staying conscious now but she didn't want to scare Jenny.

"Did he hurt you bad. My Mommy says you shouldn't hurt people no matter what and that man hurt you for no reason." Jenny's voice was breaking with impending tears.

"Sounds like your Mommy is a very smart lady that loves you very much." Maura was hoping to get Jenny's mind off of that was happening here in this room. "What else does she tell you?"

"She tells me to always look both ways before I cross the road. Always chew with my mouth closed."

"That's very important. I have a friend who chews with her mouth open on occasion and she talks with her mouth full."

"Oh Mommy hates it when I talk with food in my mouth, she says I could choke on it. She tells me to say my prayers before I go to sleep every night I prayed for you last night. I hope it helped. She bought me a toothbrush that plays music while I brush and I have to keep brushing the whole time because that's how long you're supposed to brush but sometimes I forget and I stop to listen to the music. She says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She can't tell me why but I believe her anyway."

"Breakfast is important because it increases your metabolism and helps give you energy and controls your appetite until it's time for lunch."

"I guess that makes sense because I am always tired when I wake up and after I eat I always feel like I could play all day but I have to go to school and they say I have to sit still until it's time for recess. I really like school but I love recess."

Maura heard the footsteps in the hallway before Jenny did but she knew exactly when she heard them. Her attitude went from that of a child thinking about her mother and having fun in school to a child who has been kidnapped and didn't know what her future would be. "Don't worry sweetie he won't hurt you."

The door slammed open and the bright light went on and he stormed into the room. "I knew you'd made good of yourself but I didn't know how good. Did you know the whole of the Boston Police Department is looking for you? Oh well, as long as they can't find you I don't have a problem with that. I still have all the time in the world to do with you what I want. And being the pathologist that you are I'm sure you know exactly how long I spent with the other two women. So how long did you guess I had Dr. Isles?"

"I don't make guesses I come to conclusions based on scientific evidence and my evidence told me you kept the women for four days before you initiated the coup de grace and let them bleed out." Maura whispered the last part so Jenny would hear her.

"You're a doctor?" Jenny asked from behind the man. "I want to be a doctor too. What kind of doctor are you?"

The man turned back to the little girl. "She's a doctor that cuts open dead people. She figures out how people died. She also helps the police."

"So you weren't kidding when you said you had a friend that was looking for us?"

"That would be Detective Jane Rizzoli and she's working harder than anyone. She even went out to talk to your Mother and brought her to the police station with her. She looked really angry when she pounded on the front door but the anger was all gone when they came out together. Could it be your mother told her the truth that she wouldn't tell you the other night. The fact that you were sitting in Jenny's place 30 years ago and you watched the same thing she is watching right now."

"That can't be true I would have remembered it. I would have remembered you. Why would my mother keep something like that from me?"

"She was trying to avoid what all of the other girls went through. The media following them everywhere. They were outside their schools when they were going home every night. Some parents even allowed them to go on TV and tell their stories. Most of them had problems as they grew older, some made good but your mother kept you from all of that. Somehow she made it all go away. As did twp other parents. Guess that's what all that money can do for you. I don't know what she did or where she took you but when you came back you appeared to be the same little girl before I took you so whatever they did they did it good. So is any of this making sense to you yet?" He walked up and took her face roughly in one of his hands. "Give it time it will all come back to you." He held her face as she felt him beginning to raise his knee and she knew what was coming. She felt it make contact with her ribs and knew that it broke at least one rib maybe two. "So are you going to beg like the last two did or are you going to be tough and be quiet? So far you've made me proud. You've made the prerequisite noises so as not to upset Jenny but the pain has to be excruciating by about now and you have yet to scream as I know you want to." He turned to Jenny. "Hey Jenny would it be ok if Maura were to scream because she was hurting?"

"If that's what she wants to do. I cry when I get hurt and it makes me feel a little better and Mommy says it's ok to cry so if you want to cry Maura that's ok too." Maura heard the trembling in Jenny's voice and she had been trying very hard not to scream so as not to scare the little girl but she didn't think she could hold back much longer if he continued to get worse in his abuse of her body.

"Thank you sweetie I will remember that crying makes it feel better." Maura turned back to the man and almost hissed out through her teeth. "What kind of man are you to make a small child watch something like this? Have you no heart?"

"Of course I have a heart. I could be doing this to the little girl and making you watch." He smiled an evil smile and reared his arm back and put all of his weight behind his fist as it made contact with her left cheek then with her stomach. She tried to take shallow breaths but even that hurt like hell. She watched as he pulled a knife out of his back pocket and closed her eyes against the pain to come. "Open your eyes! Open them now or I cut the girl." Maura opened his eyes and tried to stare him down but failed miserably. She was beyond scared when she thought about what he was going to do with the knife. She felt it make contact with her upper thigh and thankfully lost consciousness shortly after he jabbed the knife in.

"So now this son of a bitch is going back and abducting the little girls he had originally abducted when they were kids. Do you think John Fielding knew his wife had been on the other side of this as a child? What about our second victim?" Jane asked as she paced around the bullpen. Every detective on the force was in the bullpen trying to figure out a way to find Maura and they were all watching her.

"Her name was Nancy Bingham and she was the second of the unknown girls and Maura is the third. That was some good work figuring that out Jane, now we at least have somewhere to look. We got a list of all of the girls that had been abducted and we are looking into all of them as we speak." Korsak said from behind his desk as he was watching his computer screen for results of his search. Each detective was given a name and their task was to find out everything they possibly could and then locate the woman.

Jane sat at her desk doing the same thing then picked up her phone and rifled through all of the files on her desk for one particular file then went into the Police Database. Once she found what she was looking for she dialed a number then walked out in the hallway to make the call. Frost and Korsak watched her carefully and wondered what she was up to. They watched her face light up then she turned and walked back into the bullpen. "Frost do that triangulating thingy you do with this number 617-534-2570." She watched as he did his thing and then snapped his head up at Jane.

"It's 923 E. 2nd St. in St. Brigids Parish."

"Let's go, that's where Maura is." Jane grabbed her jacket and headed out the door. She didn't wait to see if anyone was following because if she caught the bastard she wasn't sure if she wanted anyone to stop her from beating him to a pulp. As she got to her car she turned around and every cop available was running to their car prepared to follow Jane. Frost jumped in the passenger seat and hooked his seatbelt.

He looked at the slightly confused look on Jane's face as she looked around the parking lot. "Don't stand there with your mouth hanging open let's go get your girlfriend." Jane got behind the wheel and tore out of the parking lot. "So how did you come up with this phone number?"

"It belongs to a little girl that was kidnapped two days ago and they haven't called the mother yet. She hadn't heard from their daughter but they've tried the phone every day. It's still on but she doesn't answer."

"Are we even sure it's still in her possession?" Frost didn't want to ask but he had to.

"No but it's all we've got so we at least have to check it out don't we?" Jane asked with desperation in her voice. "I think it's a shot in the dark but the pieces fit."

"How did you figure it out?"

"I've been looking at missing person reports and this is the latest one and Jenny is about the right age and it fits the pattern of the guy not calling the parents right away. I called her mother and she gave me Jenny's cell phone number and you did your thing. So it has to be where Maura is. It has to be."

Frost could have sworn the wheels on his side of the car left the ground when Jane took a left turn at 70 miles per hour. "Jane it won't do us any good to know where she is if we don't make it there alive."

"Shut up Frost I'm trying to get there before the son of a bitch hurts Maura anymore. Shit we don't even know if she's still alive. All we've got to go by is his past pattern. What if he doesn't stick to the pattern and Maura's already dead? Hey I forgot, why don't you call and get an ambulance out here Maura will probably need one Jenny too. Give me 5 minutes alone with the bastard and he won't ever be able to stand again. Just 5 minutes."

"Hell I'll give you a whole day if that's what you want and I don't think any one of those cops behind us will stop you." Frost was holding on to the dash board for dear life but he trusted Jane with his life and he knew she wouldn't do anything to endanger them but damn she was getting close to killing them. "Now when we pull up to the house you are going to have to wait until everyone gets into position and Korsak is still waiting on the warrant. As soon as we hear from him then we can go in. Don't go in half cocked and screw this up and let him get off on a technicality. We have to do this by the book."

"God I hate this. Maybe we should stop a few blocks away and wait for the warrant and plan this out. As much as I want to go in there right now you're right I don't want to give him or his lawyer an out of any kind. Ok we're about a mile away, check your map and find me an open lot or somewhere we can talk without drawing too much attention." Jane's hands were tapping the steering wheel and she couldn't stay still. She felt amped up and couldn't wait to get to Maura. Frost directed her to a lot behind an abandoned warehouse and as soon as they pulled up Jane jumped out of the car and started pacing while she waited for all of the cars to pull in.

Jane was surprised when she saw Lieutenant Cavanaugh walk up beside her. "Hey Rizzoli, I know how much Doctor Isles means to you but we have to do this right the first time, because we won't get a second chance."

"I know Sir, Frost has been talking me out of going in and beating the crap out of this bastard." Jane smirked at her boss.

"Oh I'm not going to stop you from beating the crap out of him I just want to make sure the entry is on the up and up and there are no legal loopholes that will set this asshole free. I just don't want you to kill the son of a bitch because then you would be in trouble." He gave her a smirk of his own. "You're going to have a fight on your hands stopping these guys from getting to him first." He hooked his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the cops standing behind him with sheer determination and anger notched on their faces. "As much as they like to pick on the Doc and don't understand her they know that without her we wouldn't have been able to close as many cases as we have. She's a part of the team."

Jane felt a bit choked up at the sentiment and she saw the looks on all the guy's faces and she knew she was going to make sure that Maura knew how they all felt about her. "Thanks Boss Maura will be glad to know that."

"I'm going to make sure she knows it. She deserves to know." He turned towards the team as Jane's phone rang.

Jane saw it was Korsak. "Do we have a warrant?"

"Yeah Frankie's on his way over with it. I wish I could be there but your Mom and Mrs. Isles are here in the office and I thought someone needed to stay here to keep them company." She heard the smile in his voice.

"Shit I completely forgot about Frankie. Hey, don't be hitting on my Ma." Jane smiled and realized it was the first real smile in the two days since Maura had been gone.

"Hey she's a good looking woman and she's in her prime." Korsak said but Jane could hear the smile in his voice.

"Eww Korsak that's my Ma you're talking about. You can't talk about her that way." Jane was laughing.

"Why not? What if I wanted to date her and we…?"

"La La La I can't hear you. Fingers in my ears I can't hear you. I don't want to know what you and my Ma might be doing behind closed doors. There are some things children do not need to know about their parents. Hey since when are you interested in my mother anyway? Never mind I can't think about that right now I have to figure out how we are going to rescue Maura and pray that she's still alive."

"Good luck kid." Korsak was still laughing from Jane's reaction.

"I'll call you when we've got her out of there." Jane hung up her phone and turned towards the group. "So what's the plan?"

"Frost has accessed the floor plans for the house on his computer and there are basement egress windows on all sides of the house so we plan on having someone at each one of those. Then we'll go in the front and back doors and all windows at the same time. John come up here and tell us what you saw."

"I drove by and used my infrared scope to check for heat signals and there are two downstairs and one in the living room. He's doing us a favor by having all of the curtains closed and there are numerous ways we can approach the house and get ready." He went to the floor plan and pointed as he talked. "He's here in the front room and Maura and the girl are here in the basement." He looked up and saw the worried look on Jane's face and he'd always admired her for her courage and commitment to the job and anyone with a pair of eyes knew how she felt about the Doc so he smiled at her. "Hey the good news is that I can see strong heat signals for all three people and you know what that means right?"

Jane looked up and he knew when it dawned on her, her face broke out in a bright smile. "She's still alive." She turned as she heard Frankie's squad car approach. He came running up and handed the warrant to Cavanaugh then turned to Jane and smiled up at her. "Hey Frankie, sorry I forgot to give you the heads up on this."

"Don't worry I know where your head was at. Korsak filled me in while we were waiting for the warrant and now let's go get your girlfriend." They both turned to Cavanaugh and knew from his smile he'd heard Frankie's comment but he smiled at the two of them and signaled for everyone to gather around him.

"Rizzoli 1 and 2, both of you, will take this egress window." He point to one of the windows on the floor plan and Jane noted it was the one that was closest to the heat signals and knew Cavanaugh was giving her the opportunity to be the one to get to Maura first. "Frost I want you and Crowe to take the front door. Just remember to save enough of him to give Rizzoli a couple of good hits." He heard a ripple of laughter through the crowd of cops.

"So Rizzoli do you want him conscious?" Crowe asked seriously.

"If it's possible, I want him to know who's hitting him and why." She was dead serious. She wanted this man to feel just one iota of what he probably put Maura through and she wanted to be the one to show him.

"We all know why." Once again there was laughter from the group but Jane realized it was good natured ribbing and not mean spirited.

"Ok my love life aside, there is a woman and child being held captive in there and I want one good swing at the son of a bitch responsible. So let's get this setup and go get 'em." Jane walked away with her arm around Frankie shoulder. "Let's get ready little brother, my future awaits." She handed him a piece of paper. "That's the phone number for Jenny's mother, call her as soon as we've got her out of there and let her know she can meet us at the hospital." They waited until everyone was ready then they all split up and stealthily walked through the neighborhood to take up their positions. Jane and Frankie heard the command in their headsets and Jane kicked the window in and threw herself through the window. When she stood up she almost fell back down because the sight of Maura hanging from the rafters threatened to buckle her knees. "Frankie get Jenny out of here. I don't want her to see this." Jane heard him pass her through the window to someone waiting outside. She walked up to Maura and spoke softly. "Maura honey can you hear me?" The tears started to fall as she tenderly lifted Maura's chin and saw all the cuts and bruises.

"Jane?" Maura voice was barely above a whisper. "I knew you'd come." She tried to smile and winced.

"I'm going to cut you down and it will probably hurt like hell. You ready?" Maura barely nodded her head. Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's waist and reached up and cut her wrists free then lifted her from her behind her knees and gently lowered her on to her lap as she sat down on the floor. Maura hissed from the pain then tried to open her eyes. "Love you Jane."

"God I love you too sweetie." She flinched when she heard a gunshot above her and instinctively covered Maura. She pulled her own gun when she heard the door at the top of the stairs open and pointed it towards the stairs.

"Rizzoli it's ok. It's over." She heard Cavanaugh say and she took her first deep breath since she crashed through the window.

"Get the medics down here, she's hurt bad." Jane looked down at Maura's and she couldn't hold back the tears. She felt Maura try to move and watched her wince in pain. "Sweetie don't move you'll just hurt yourself more."

"Jenny." Maura could hardly speak she was so weak.

"She's ok. Frankie got her out of here already. She's fine." She turned around and smiled at Frankie.

"Smart girl." Maura squeezed Jane's hand. "Told her you'd rescue us. My hero."

Jane squeezed back and smiled down at the woman who had become her reason for living and knew she was going to be ok. She gently pushed back the hair from her face and winced at all of the cuts and bruises she saw there. "Shhh honey it's going to be ok." Jane looked up as the medics came down the stair with a gurney and started to work on Maura. "Honey you're going to have to let go of my hand so these guys can make you more comfortable."

"Don't want to." Maura did her best imitation of Jane when she tries to wake her up in the morning and it made Jane smile. "They can work around it." One of the medics shrugged his shoulders and went to work inserting the IV and gave her some morphine for the pain and soon Maura was sporting a silly grin. "Jane I love you sooo much. Will you marry me?"

"Ask me again when you're not high on drugs and I'll say yes." Jane smiled down at her until she took a good look at her body then anger took over. She turned to one of the medics. "I'm riding back with you so don't leave without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it Detective." He smiled up at her.

"Maura sweetie I'll be right back."

"Okey Dokey, I'm not going anywhere." Jane smiled then turned and ran up the stairs and crashed through the door. She looked around the kitchen at all of the cops standing around. "Tell me he's dead. Tell me he'll never have the chance to do this to anyone ever again." She looked straight at Lieutenant Cavanaugh.

"Sorry I can't tell you that but if you want your pound of flesh he's in the living room. He resisted arrest and we had to restrain him."

Jane walked into the living room and looked around the crowded room and all of the guys looked to her. "We thought you'd want to take the first swing at him so we haven't touched him yet." Crowe walked up in front of her as he spoke. "Leave some for us to pick up ok?"

Jane walked over to the man that was kneeling on the floor looking up at her with pleading eyes. "You can't do this it's police brutality. Please don't hurt me." He was begging Jane.

"So tell me, when the women were begging you to not hurt them did you relent and leave them alone? Hell no, from the looks of Maura's face I think you got your rocks off when they begged. I take no pleasure in what I am about to do but as they say an eye for an eye and since Maura is lying downstairs I am going to exact revenge on her behalf. And just so you know, I don't hit like a girl so this is going to hurt you more than it hurts me." She pulled her hand back and swung with every ounce of strength she possessed and connected with his jaw and watched as he flew backwards. "I was wrong, that was very pleasing, and I did rather enjoy that and it did hurt but it was well worth it you son of a bitch."

"You can't do this and get away with it. I'll sue the whole Boston Police Department." He tried to stand up but with his hands tied behind his back it was hard to stand.

"Did you wonder why we tied you instead of cuffing you? It's a cop thing. Cuffs leave marks when you struggle but the cloth we used to tie you with will not leave any marks at all. And who is going to say anything to back up your claim of police brutality? As we were walking you out to the car somehow one of the husbands got wind of the bust and showed up and you tried to attack him to keep him quiet and he fought back in self defense." Frankie leaned down as he spoke. "Maura means a lot to me and that little girl that's on her way to the hospital is going to suffer for the rest of her life all because of you, you worthless piece of crap. Jane you want another shot at him?"

"I really hate to hit a man when he's down but for you I'll make an exception. You're lucky Maura's still alive or else you'd be leaving here in a body bag." Jane could barely contain her anger but she did.

"She's too good for you. You're just a dyke cop after a piece of ass."

That just about made Jane lose whatever control she had but she was stopped by Frost's hand on her shoulder. "Man are you a sadist or a masochist? I can never remember which is which Jane can you clear it up for me? Frost asked in a confused voice as he walked up to the man on the floor. Jane knew he knew the answer but he wanted to mess with the guys head.

"Well Frost in this situation he's a masochist because only a masochist would make a comment like that when he's the one on the floor at our mercy. And I guess that would make us the sadists." She landed a good kick in his ribcage but this time she didn't take any pleasure in what she did. The first one was for what he did to Maura but the second one was just because she wanted to teach him a lesson. "He's all yours guys, I'm going with Maura to the hospital." Jane turned as the medics were bringing the gurney up the stairs. She met them at the top of the stairs and took Maura's hand.

"Where were you Jane?" Maura looked up with glassy eyes. She looked beyond Jane and saw all of the cops looking at her and she turned back to Jane. "Why are there so many officers here?" She looked around Jane and waved to them and smiled a goofy smile. "Hi guys." A few of the cops smiled and waved back. She squeezed Jane's hand as they wheeled her out to the ambulance.

Jane stood back as they secured the gurney in the ambulance then pulled one of the medics back. "How bad is it?"

"So far the worst injury I can see is a broken tibia and the cigarette burns. Lacerations to the face and abdomen but there are probably some internal that we can't see. Let's get going ok?"

Jane climbed in behind the medic and waited for them to take their seats so she could take a seat that was not in their way. "Jane where are you." Maura was frantically looking around the ambulance until her eyes landed on Jane slightly behind her. "Oh, there you are." He face broke out in a smile that would light all of Boston with its wattage.

Jane reached out and reclaimed her hand. "I'm right here Maura and I will be until the pry my hand away from you."

"These are some nice drugs, I don't feel half of the pain I've been feeling over the last two days." Maura sobered for a moment and tears came to her eyes. "Are you sure Jenney is ok? She's a very smart little girl and I would hate it if she was injured." Jane nodded her head. "Jane it really hurt when he hit me and I kept thinking that I wasn't as strong as you and because of that I was going to die. I was so scared Jane." Jane watched as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Jane wiped the tear away. "It's ok sweetie. I'm just glad we found you in time." Jane brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed it. She looked at the medic and he was smiling but quickly turned away as he went back to cleaning Maura's wounds as best as he could.

"How did you find me?"

Jane noticed that they were up to the hospital emergency entrance and she turned to Maura. "We're here now so I'm going to have to let you go but we'll talk about it later." Jane watched as a look of panic entered Maura's eyes and she squeezed her hand tighter. "I'll be there when you wake up ok?"

"Jane don't leave me. Bad things happen when you're not there. Don't leave me." The back of the ambulance opened and she watched as they pulled the gurney out and she grabbed Maura's hand again and walked beside the gurney. "Jane come with me please?"

"Maura you know they won't let me past the doors but I'll be by your side as soon as they let me. And I'll threaten the nurse so they'll tell me what's going on every minute. They'll probably knock you out anyway so you won't even know I'm not there. Look there's Jan and we all know she breaks the rules for us so she'll keep me updated."

Maura's friend Jan was the trauma nurse at Mass General and she had been there for both of them through all of their visits to the hospital. Jan looked down at Maura then back at Jane. "What the hell happened this time?" She looked at the worried look on Jane's face and the panic on Maura's and let Jane through the door even though she wasn't supposed to but the look on Maura's face was scaring her. She watched as Maura relaxed when she realized what had happened and knew she'd made the right decision.

Jane helped them transfer Maura to the table in the emergency room and gave Jan a grateful smile. "Not you two again. But it looks like you've changed places. It's usually Jane in the bed." Both women turned as Dr. Jacobson walked in the room looking at Maura's chart. "Jan can we get some x-rays of the left leg and a full facial and we may as well get the abdominal area too. First I see Jane in my emergency room with a gunshot and now this. Maybe I should open a private practice for just the two of you. I hope the other guy looks worse."

"Well Doc I can't say for sure but it might be a good bet that he does. I left him with the majority of the Boston Police Department and they'd all seen what he did to Maura and they weren't happy."

"Jane what are you saying? Are you saying they are going to exact revenge by beating the man?" Maura was seriously worried.

"Maura that guy…" Jane sputtered when she realized she was getting angry at Maura for worrying about the creep that did this to her.

"Come on Maura let's get you down to x-ray." Jan stepped between the two women before things got heated.

"I'm sorry Jane don't be mad. Are you coming with me?" Maura reached for Jane's hand in desperation.

"There's no need to say you're sorry. Why don't you go with Jan while I go out to see all the people waiting to hear how you are? I promise I'll be here when you get back ok?" Jane leaned down and gave her a kiss. "I'm not mad at you ok? I'm mad at the guy who did this to you." Jane whispered in Maura's ear. "I love you."

Maura smiled up at her with a pained look. "I think the drugs are wearing off it's starting to hurt again and I'm acting too clingy. Of course you need to check on the others." Maura turned her head away so Jane wouldn't see her cry.

"Maura if I could I would be with you every step of the way but those x-ray rooms are scary and you better make sure you wear that apron thingy they give you because I am not going to be the only one in this relationship pushing out babies for Ma." The joking did the trick and Maura smiled up at her. "I will be back before you get done I promise." She leaned down and kissed her again. "Behave for Jan ok?" She waited until Jan wheeled her out of the room before she headed for the waiting room.

She towards the waiting room and was surprised by the number of people milling around. She walked towards her mother and Constance and one of the guys stood up and gave her the chair next to Constance. "She's going to be ok. We got to her in time and the injuries are mostly minor but it's hard to tell what this will do to her mentally. She's heading to x-ray right now and they'll know more after that. It looks like a broken leg might be the worst of her injuries. She's not showing any sign of internal injuries but they are going to do a thorough exam after she gets back from x-ray. She's pretty beat up and I feel so helpless." Jane leaned her head down and rested it in her hands.

"Jane, you did what you said you'd do and you saved Maura and brought her back to me and for that I will forever be in your debt. And I promised I will be there for Maura through all of this. I almost lost her but thanks to you I have a second chance to be the mother I never was."

"Well you're going to have to put up with the Rizzoli's during her recovery because I will be there every day and I'm sure Ma will be by as often as she can, which will probably be every day too." Jane looked to her mother and gave her a tired smile. It was then that she realized it had been over 48 hours since she'd slept and she was dead tired.

"You can bet that I will be there to provide meals and support in any way I can. I can teach you to cook some of Maura's favorite foods. And we can help Maura together." Angela took Constance's hand when she saw how overwhelmed she looked. She loves chicken soup and I have a wonderful recipe that she really likes."

Jane hoped that she hadn't unleashed a beast. Ma alone was hard to handle but both mothers might be too much. "She's going to need as much rest as possible so don't mother her too much Ma." Jane signaled for Frankie, Korsak and Frost to join her in the hallway. She walked out the door and recognized a lot of the guys who had been at the house. "So how's our resident asshole holding up? You guys didn't beat him too bad did ya?"

"Did you know that myth about beating someone with a bag of oranges is true?" One of the big cops said from the back of the group. "He may be feeling some pain but you can't tell by looking at him. Next time a battered woman says she didn't have any bruises because he hit here with a bag of oranges I'm going to believe her. How's the Doc doing?" She heard some of the other cops seconding the question.

"She's doing pretty good considering what that bastard did to her. It looks like he broke her leg and she had quite a bit of bruising on her arms and he burned her quite a bit with his damn cigarette. She's got some pretty bad cuts and they are going to check for internal injuries when she's done in x-ray. I want to thank all you guys for backing me up and helping to get Maura back. Once she's off all the drugs and can remember what I say I'm going to make sure she knows what you guys did." Jane took a deep breath because she knew she couldn't lose it in front of these guys. "I'm going back in there to see what's going on. Thanks again guys."

"Hey no problem Rizzoli, she's part of the team and we got her back just like we got yours. It's what cops do for their own." She heard a lot of 'yeahs' coming from the other cops as she walked through the group back to Maura's room.

She was sitting in the chair when they brought Maura back in. She could tell Maura was in a lot of pain because she was breathing through clenched teeth. She tried to smile when she saw Jane but she could tell it was an effort. "Jan can she get something for the pain?"

"I was just going to do something about that. The doctor said I could give her some Demerol." Jane watched as Jan pulled out a syringe and injected the drug into Maura's IV.

Jane sat down and took Maura's hand. "Hey your Mother is here and she's making noises about wanting to take care of you after you leave here. I told her she was going to have to get in line behind me and Ma." Jane watched as the drug started to take effect. "So how ya feeling now?

"Much better. I'm glad you're here Jane." Maura smiled up at her with a very serious look on her face.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else. I was so scared when I found you were missing. I thought I'd lost you forever and I didn't know what I was going to do without you. I'm so glad I don't have to find out." She was not ashamed of the tears that slid down her cheeks. With Maura she didn't have to be strong all the time. Maura reached up and wiped a tear away and Jane was able to see the true extent of the bruising and burning on Maura's arm and she had to take a deep breath to keep from losing it. "I am so sorry Maura."

"What are you sorry for?" Maura looked at her face and instantly knew what was wrong. "This is not your fault. You could not have stopped it from happening. He wanted me and if he didn't take me when he did he would have found another way of getting me. You can't be with me 24 hours a day and still do your job as good as you do. By the way I was wondering how you did find me."

"It's the technology age Maura and I took a chance. I went through the missing children reports for the last few days and took a chance. I called Jenny's Mother and she gave me her cell phone number. I figured he'd take your cell but I was hoping he wouldn't think to check an 8 year old for a phone so we triangulated hers and found you. When I saw you hanging there I thought you were dead and I wanted to kill that son of a bitch with my bare hands. As it was I settled for one good punch."

"You hit him? Jane you could get in trouble for that, you could even lose your badge." Maura gave her a worried look.

"It would be worth it after what he did to you. I should have protected you, I should have been there for you. I did this to you." Jane laid her head on the side of the bed and wept until she felt Maura's hand on her head.

"Jane you did everything you could to prevent this from happening, as I already told you this is not your fault. You saved me so let's call it even ok?" Jane looked up at her and tried to smile but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Ok Maura I'm going to have to set your leg and I think you've had enough time for the pain meds to take over. Do you want more before we do this?" Maura gritted her teeth and shook her head quickly to Dr. Jacobson.

"Wait!" It was Jane who screamed. "You're going to do it right here with her fully conscious? You're not going to knock her out and do it in a sterile environment or something. This is going to hurt her right?" Jane gave Maura a pleading look. "Honey you can't do this without more drugs. Doc give her more drugs."

Maura actually laughed at the look of desperation on Jane's face. "My big tough cop who lets me reset her nose and stitch her up with no anesthesia is worried I can't handle this." She gave a barely perceptible nod to the doctor then took Jane's hand. "Be brave Jane." Maura let go of Jane's hand just as the doctor set her bones and she grabbed the sheets and grimaced through the pain and let out a quiet scream. Jane pried her hand from the sheets and held on for dear life. Her hand felt like it was going to break but she didn't say anything. The doctor carefully reinflated the blowup cast that had been on her leg and patted Maura's hand and smiled at her. Maura's deathlike grip finally relaxed and Jane started breathing again.

"A little warning would have helped Doc." She gave both Maura and Dr. Jacobson the patented Rizzoli glare.

"Jane quit fussing, anyone would think it was you on this bed and not me. As you can see I'm fine. Now we need to let the doctor do his job so we can get out of here and go home." Maura smiled up at the doctor and gave him the go ahead.

"We'll have someone bring you down to the casting room and cast that in a little while but first I want to check for any other bleeding or injuries." He lifted Maura's shirt and Jane gasped at the bruises that covered the majority of Maura's abdomen and chest with cigarette burns interspersed. She watched as Maura hissed when the doctor pushed on a particular spot. "Hurts there? The x-rays show you have two broken ribs here and there's a small amount of bleeding in the area as well. You're lucky it didn't puncture the lung, you would have been in big trouble."

Jane realized the amount of pain that Maura must be in and her opinion of her rose quite a few notches. She was tougher than she let on and Jane loved her all the more for it. Right now all she could do was hold her hand tighter and when she squeezed it Maura turned her head towards Jane and gave her a beautiful smile. Jane tried to smile back but she knew she failed, she hated to see what Maura had gone through and was still going through. "It's ok." She whispered to Jane.

"I think the best thing we can do for you is get you a room for the night and make you comfortable. I want to keep you for observation and we can reevaluate in the morning. You're going to need stitches in a few places." He turned to Jane. "We'll give her a local anesthetic before we start the stitching, just so you don't think we're completely barbaric around here." He smiled at the slight look of embarrassment that crossed Jane's face. "Jan can do the stitches if you'd like. She did a pretty good job on Jane."

"That would be fine if she's not too busy." Maura smiled up at him.

"We seem to be having somewhat of a quiet night so I think we can spare her. Good news is that the zygomatic bone isn't broken but your eye will be swollen shut for the next few hours. You look like you went 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali."

"Worse, Ali didn't wear steel toed boots or use cigarettes on his opponents." Maura looked as Jane released her hand and started pacing the room.

"Jane are you ok?" Doctor Jacobson asked with concern.

"She'll be fine, she's just walking off her anger. She didn't know he kicked me. We haven't really had time to discuss how I acquired these injuries. She wants to kill the man who did this to me but knows it's wrong so she's walking it off. Either that or she's surprised I know who Ali is."

"So she's ok?" The doctor smiled at Maura and she nodded.

"You two do realized I can hear you don't you? And she's right, I want to tear him apart with my bare hands and feed him to the vermin in the alleys of Boston. Look what he did to her." She lifted one of Maura's hands and gently caressed the chafing on her wrist from the ropes. "What would you do if this had been Lucas? How is he by the way?"

"He's fine, he's taking the bar exam next week and he's hell to live with right now but I think I would feel the same way if this were him lying on the table. I may not do it in the same way but I can understand your reasoning." He gave Jane a sympathetic look.

"Is anyone sane in this city?" Maura asked looking back and forth between the two of them. "The man will have to answer for his actions and he'll never see the light of day as a free man ever again. Isn't that enough?"

"No!" They both answered at the same time.

"But I guess it will have to be." Jane said reluctantly then she brightened. "Hey Maura there's something I want to tell you about the guys from the precinct."

"I'm going to send Jan in and then get you set up for the casting so I'll say good night and I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you Craig, say hi to Lucas and tell him we'll celebrate when he passes the bar. Maybe you can come to our house and Jane can cook for us. She tells me she's a pretty good cook."

He patted Maura's shoulder and gave Jane a smile. "We'll look forward to it. Jane behave ok? Stay out of trouble."

"Sure Doc see ya tomorrow." She waved as he walked away.

"You were saying something about the guys. What did Barry and Vince do now?" She turned her head and gave Jane all of her attention.

"I'm not talking about Frost and Korsak. Remember how surprised you were when half the precinct showed up when I was shot?" Maura nodded. "Well the same guys are out there pacing the hallways now. They told me they were here because they watch out for their own. They're here because of you."

Jane watched the emotions flit across Maura's face. She knew how important it was for Maura to feel like a part of the team. "Really?" It was Jane's turn to nod. "I remember a number of them were at the house, why were there so many?"

"For the same reason, when they hear one of their own is in trouble we go all out to help. Even Crowe was there." She watched as Maura smiled. "Hey why aren't you asleep? The drugs they gave you should have knocked you out, not that I'm complaining."

"I don't react the same to most narcotics as most people do. They do cut the pain immensely but they only make me a bit drowsy. Unless they give me a large dose. Jan knows this about me and I asked her to just give me enough to cut the pain."

"Why would you do that? You're in pain and you don't have to be." Jane couldn't understand why anyone would do that when they have an option.

"Because then we wouldn't be having this conversation and I would have missed the caring and loving looks you've given me over the past few hours. I would have missed your witty repartee and I would have missed just spending the time with you."

Jane felt like a jerk for questioning Maura's motives. "What can I say to that? If I wasn't already in love with you I sure as hell would be now."

"Ok Maura let's get those cuts stitched up and get you a new cast." Jan said as she walked through the door. Then she stopped and looked between the two women and noticed they were staring at each other. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Yes but that's ok." Maura smiled at Jane before she turned to Jan. "So how bad is this going to scar?"

"Oh you're going to look like Frankenstein's Monster when all is said and done. You'll be hideous."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

At the panicked look on Maura's face Jan laughed. "Relax, we should be able to do this with very little scaring."

Jane laughed at the look on Maura's face. "I thought you said scars gave you character?"

"Those are your scars, and they do give you character and I love every one of them because they show how much you've overcome."

"So why should yours be any different?" Jane was still laughing.

"Because I'm vain and I want to look good. I suppose I could hide them with makeup." Maura looked like someone just kicked her puppy.

"Are you saying I don't look good or don't care how I look?" Jane tried to become serious but she was having problems.

"Jane you would look good in a gunnysack. I have to work to look presentable." Maura winced as Jan injected to local into her left cheek.

"You have no idea do you?" Jane looked at Maura in total surprise.

"I have plenty of ideas and you know that but right now I do not know what you are referring to." Maura looked back and forth between Jan and Jane and Jan just shrugged her shoulders.

"I find you equally as beautiful in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt as I do when you are all dressed up for one of your high society get togethers. With or without makeup you are stunning. A few scars are not going to change that. I'll still love you no matter what." Jane winced as she watched Jan begin the stitching.

"What's the matter? Why did you just wince?" Maura asked worriedly. "Are you in pain, is it your ribs. I forgot about that are you ok?"

"You're worried about me when it's you lying there in pain? I'm so used to being on the opposite side of this situation, me being the one getting the stitches not you and it makes me realize what you must feel when it is me. I'm so sorry I put you through this all the time." Jane brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.

"So I guess this means your relationship has finally become what it should have years ago?" Jan smiled as she finished another stitch on Maura's forehead. "It's about time. I've been watching you two tip toe around each other for years and I thought it would happen when Jane shot herself but nooo, you two are too stubborn to see what's right in front of you. Glad to see you two happy for a change. And Maura you should listen to Jane, you are gorgeous and if I wasn't happily married and straight I would have hit on you a long time ago. Now sit still because I'm getting to a sensitive area that is going to hurt."

"Ouch! I thought you anesthetized it? Why does it hurt so much?" Maura squeezed Jane's hand tightly.

"I warned you. You know that here in the frontal bone area there is less muscle and more nerves so it is harder to sew without causing pain. I'm sorry but it has to be done." Jane winced whenever Maura winced and let Maura squeeze her hand as hard as she needed to.

Jane knew that Maura was in pain and this helpless feeling was new to her. "Do you want something to bite on?" Maura smiled.

"Can I use your finger?"

Maura laughed harder when Jane quickly pulled her hand out of Maura's grasp. "Hell no woman! I need all my fingers to do my job." She turned around and found a jar full of tongue depressors and pulled one out and handed it to Maura. "Here bite on this." She held up the jar. "Don't worry about breaking it there are plenty more where that came from." Jane sat down on the chair again and tentatively reached for Maura's hand. "Are my fingers safe?" Jane asked and her voice dropped an octave.

"Yes Jane they are safe for the time being." Jane looked up to gauge Maura response and just about dropped the jar at the look of pure lust in her eyes. She had wanted to get Maura's mind off of what Jan was doing but she didn't think it would work that good. Jane could only stare at her until Jan cleared her throat.

"Just wanted to remind you that there was another person in the room but damn that was hot." She had to laugh as she watched Jane blush. "Our mighty cop gets embarrassed when caught thinking about sex."

"You should see her when I try to talk to her about sex. She gets all flustered."

"Maura! You're not supposed to tell people things like that." Both Maura and Jan laughed even harder when Jane blushed even more. "Ok have a good laugh at my expense while you can. Someday I won't be here and you'll think back to these times and you'll feel bad that you picked on me."

Maura and Jan looked at each other then back at Jane. "Nope!" They both answered at the same time and smiled at Jane.

"You know I don't have to sit here and take this kind of abuse. Unlike some people I can get up and walk out of here anytime I want." She pointedly looked at Maura. "But to show how big of a person I am I will not. But what I am going to do is go back out to the waiting room and give them an update." She turned to Jan. "Any idea how long it will be before she is moved to her own room and she can have visitors?"

"Give us about an hour and she'll be ready to go. We want to clean her up too." Jan continued with her stitches and Jane turned to leave the room.

"1, 2, 3." Jane whispered to herself and smiled when she heard Maura's voice

"Jane you are coming back aren't you?" Jane stopped and turned back with a smile on her face.

"You couldn't keep me away. I'll be back soon." She leaned down and kissed Maura like there was no tomorrow and before she turned around she winked at Jan. When she got to the waiting room she was surprised to see Tommy standing there.

"Jane is Maura going to be ok? Is she hurt bad? Can I go see her?" Tommy asked her in a voice that actually sounded like he cared but Jane didn't have time for it right now.

"When she has her own room in about an hour people can start visiting her in short periods. The doctor is going to give her some more pain meds when she gets situated and then you can all start going in." She looked at Constance. "You'll be first on the list ok?"

"Thank you Jane, for all that you've done. I would like to see her at the first opportunity." She stood up and gave Jane a tentative hug then pulled her in tightly.

"Why do you get to go back there and be with her?" Tommy sounded like and angry little boy.

"You see this little brother." Jane pointed to her badge on her hip. "And you see this?" She pointed to her gun. "These are my permission slip to go back there because we are in the middle of a murder investigation that could have included Maura as one of the victims."

"Why aren't Korsak or Frost back there instead of you?" Tommy kept stepping closer to Jane with every word he spoke. Frost, Korsak and Frankie all had grins on their faces knowing that this might come to a head right in front of them. Angela didn't know what to think and Constance was watching with keen interest.

"What is your problem Tommy? I was the one that found her, I am the one she's comfortable with and I am the one she wants by her side right now. You got a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact I do. I think you monopolize her time." Tommy was right up in her face now and Jane didn't back away.

"Oh man did he just say that?" Korsak whispered to Frost.

"Why don't you just come right out and say what you mean Tommy. Are you saying Maura and I spend too much time together?" Jane actually pushed him back with her chest.

"Yeah I do. What if she wanted to date someone?" Tommy pushed back.

"Oh this is getting good." Frankie whispered to Korsak.

"Shhh, don't distract them." Frankie made eye contact with his mother as she made the comment and he could see the merriment in her eyes.

"You mean someone like you? Maura's a big girl and she has always been free to make her own decisions. If she wanted to be somewhere else she would be. I think over the last week or so she has made it abundantly clear where she wanted to be and it wasn't with you."

"She was only spending time with you because you were hurt and maybe now that you're better she might want to get out and go on a date." Tommy stepped up to Jane again.

"Man he's a glutton for punishment isn't he?" Frost whispered to Frankie.

"Always has been."

"Man have you always been this stupid or is it something new? Maura is lying in an emergency room bed getting stitches and a cast on her leg where some manic kicked her and broke her leg and you think she wants to go out on a date with you. Besides I don't think you're her type or the right Rizzoli."

"What gives you the right to make those choices for her?" He thought for a minute. "What do you mean I'm the wrong Rizzoli?" He turned and gave Frankie an accusing stare and Frankie quickly held up his hands in defense.

"Oh oh, he stuck his foot in it this time." Angela whispered to Frankie.

"Ok little brother I was hoping to find a better time and place to talk to you about this but you've forced my hand. I have loved Maura since the first day I met her but I didn't do anything about it because I didn't think there was any way that someone as beautiful and intelligent as her would return my feelings. Well it turns out she does."

"No way that can't be." Tommy stood there shaking his head. "You're just saying that to hurt me."

"I'm sorry if it hurts you but it's true. I've been dating Maura for about a week and I was planning on moving into her house when she was kidnapped. This is the real deal Tommy. I love Maura and she loves me and that's the real reason I'm back there with her. She's here because I didn't protect her like I promised and now I'm going to spend the rest of my life making up for it and if you can't deal with that tough. Now I have to get back to Maura if you'll excuse me." She walked around Tommy and headed back to Maura's room.

Tommy looked at everyone in the room looking at him his eyes landed on Frankie. "You knew and didn't tell me."

"I tried to tell you Friday night but you wouldn't listen. I told you they were close and protective of each other."

"You could have told me they were sleeping together and saved me all the headache and embarrassment." Tommy hung his head.

"Hey bro I didn't know for sure until after last weekend. But you can't say I didn't give you fair warning." Frankie walked by with a slightly smug look on his face. "You asked me what Jane would say if you asked Maura out. Well I think she just told you."

Angela stood and put am arm around Tommy's shoulder. "It's ok Tommy, look on the bright side, at least she won't steal your girlfriends in the future.

Jane walked back into Maura's room and winced again as she got a good look at Maura's stomach. Jan had removed her shirt to stitch some of the cuts there. Maura turned her head and reached out for Jane. Jane hurried to her side and took her hand. She gently caressed the bruising and let the tears fall. "Oh Jane don't cry its ok."

"No Maura it's not. Nobody should have to go through this." She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

"Jane has anyone called the CSU's?" Jane looked up at her with a confused look on her face. Maura laughed a small laugh. "Where's my tough cop when you need her? They are going to have to document my injuries for the trial. So we need someone with a camera."

Jane looked at Maura for a moment then smiled. "I guess I can put someone before the job huh? Only you can take my mind off of what needs to be done. Let me call someone and get them over here ok?" She stood up and kissed Maura's forehead. "I'll be right back." Maura watched as she left the room then turned to Jan.

"I don't think she likes to watch this." Maura smiled up at Jan.

"How are you really doing? I know you're playing it tough so it's not so hard for Jane but it's only you and me now so tell me the truth."

"It's hurts bad." For the first time since this all started Maura let her guard down and cried. "I thought I was going to die. I kept hoping Jane would get there in time but towards the end I wasn't so sure. My leg is throbbing, I have a pounding headache and my ribs hurt like hell." She tentatively reached up to her cheek and touched where Jan had already stitched. "It hurts more than I thought possible."

"Let me give you more Demerol, you shouldn't have to be in so much pain. I know Jane would understand and she wouldn't want you to suffer. Please Maura."

"Ok, you're right Jane would understand. I just wanted to be coherent enough to talk to her. Now I can rest."

"Smart girl." Jan said as she injected more Demerol into the IV. "Now let me finish so that you can get that cast on and get you into a room so everyone can finally relax." She finished stitching the cuts on her abdomen then started to clean up the mess when Jane walked back in with camera in hand. "I gave her some more Demerol for the pain so she should be out soon." Jan whispered to Jane then quietly left the room.

"I decided I could take the pictures as well as anyone else so let's get this done." Jane walked around Maura taking the necessary pictures and writing on the pad of paper she had and Maura smiled when she saw Jane get serious and do her job.

"I love it when you go into your cop mode like this. You're all serious and business like."

"Trust me this is not serious this is angry. I want to kill that man for what he's done to you. I and a few of your friends in the department would gladly take him out somewhere and beat the crap out of him until he takes his last breath. You know we could do it and leave no trace and dispose of the body where it would never be found. The world would be a better place without him in it and you know that. But you want to put it in the hands of the justice system so that's what we'll do. We'll do this by the book, cross all of our T's and dot the I's to make sure he does not get off. It will be hard to keep my hands to myself when it comes to this guy but for you I will." All of this was said from behind the camera and Maura couldn't see Jane's face but she could tell by her tone of voice that she was serious.

"Thank you Jane. Can you put the camera down for a minute and come here?" Maura asked quietly. Jane set the camera down and carefully sat on the bed next to Maura and leaned forward. Maura reached up and pulled Jane down to give her a kiss. She winced when their lips met because of the cuts on her lip but pulled Jane back when she tried to pull away. She deepened the kiss and touched her tongue against Jane's lip and licked until Jane finally moaned and opened her mouth to allow her entrance. When their tongues met they both moaned and the kiss continued until they heard someone clear their throat behind them. They groaned then separated and turned to see Jan standing in the doorway.

"Whew I think I need a cold shower after that." Jan smiled as she walked in. "Jane are you done with the pictures? We need to get her down to get her cast then I can get her cleaned up and into her own room."

"Can I go with you?" Jane asked tentatively.

"Could I keep you away?" She laughed as Jane vigorously shook her head. "Well then make yourself useful and help me get her into a wheelchair." Jane walked to the bed and bent over and carefully picked Maura up and gently placed her in the wheelchair. "Oh and she goes all She-Hulk on me. That's not exactly what I had in mind but it works." Jan almost felt she was intruding on a very private moment when she saw the look of love pass between the two women. She got behind the wheelchair and started pushing and watched Jane take Maura's hand and walk alongside the chair.

When they finished with the cast Jan wheeled Maura back to the room so she could clean her up and when she pulled out what she would need she felt a hand on her arm and turned to see Jane looking at her very seriously. "Can I clean her up?"

"Sure let me show you what to do with the anti-septic then I'll leave the room." She showed Jane how to open the packages and clean without infecting anything then she left the room.

Jane donned the gloves and opened a package and started to carefully clean Maura's face. Maura watched with fascination as Jane gently wiped her brow. The look of love on her face brought tears to Maura's eyes and when Jane noticed them she stopped. "Am I hurting you? I'm sorry." She almost whispered.

"No it doesn't hurt at all. Jan gave me some more drugs so I may actually fall asleep soon but you are so beautiful it almost takes my breath away. The look on your face as you were wiping was so full of love and I couldn't believe it was for me."

"Oh Maura you deserve that and so much more. I wish I could take your place and take some of your pain away." She leaned down and gave her a quick kiss then started cleaning again. Neither woman said anything else while Jane carefully but thoroughly cleaned Maura's body. "It may be a while before you can shower so I am going to clean everything ok?" Maura smiled as she watched Jane blush knowing where she was talking about.

"Jane it's not like you haven't already seen my vagina." Jane blushed again. "Can you keep your hands to yourself while you do it?" Jane looked up and saw that Maura had a devilish grin on her face but she also noticed her eyes were drooping from the meds.

"Maybe I'll just wait until you are sleeping and do it then."

"No I want to watch you. You are so gentle, it's sort of humbling to have someone else wash you." Maura's last words were slightly slurred and Jane smiled but went back to cleaning her lover. Her anger came on again when she was cleaning her abdomen because she was able to get a close up look at some of cigarette burns and bruises and she was actually able to see how deeply purple some of them were and winced thinking how hard he had to have hit her to cause these bruises. On her arms she could see the bruising imprint of fingers from where he grabbed her and Jane wanted to wrap her own fingers around his neck and squeeze. She lifted her arm and saw that the bruising went all the way around her arm. She looked up at Maura and saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was even.

"About time. I never realized how much of a fighter you are. I'm so proud of you for fighting Maura. You fought to stay alive and you're still fighting but you don't have to. Now you can just lay back and relax and heal just like you always tell me. Let me do the work for you, let me take care of you for a change. I love you so much and I hate to see you in so much pain. I would gladly take your place if I could."

"Don't have to." Came the barely audible reply from the bed. "Love you too. Sooo tired." Maura's head fell to the side and Jane resumed her cleaning with a smile on her face.

Jan poked her head in the room about half an hour later and saw Jane sitting by Maura's side. "All done?" Jane nodded her head. "Ok let's get her moved to her room. We've got it all set up in room 311. Let's go." They pushed the bed through the hallway and when they exited the emergency room doors everyone in the waiting room stood up.

Jane watched Constance as she got her first look at Maura then watched as her own mother wrapped her arms around her and helped her walk beside the gurney. Most of the cops were still there but she knew most of them would now leave once they've seen that Maura was going to be ok. Frost, Korsak, Frankie and Tommy all followed them to the elevator. When they got the bed and five adults in the in the elevator she looked up at Tommy and he gave her a scathing look then pointedly looked down at her hands as they were holding one of Maura's. He looked back up at her and Jane could not believe the anger in his eyes. Oh well he'll just have to get used to it.

Frost and Korsak held back and Jane looked up at them. "We'll take the next one up." Korsak gave her a smile. "Room 311 right Jan?" She nodded as the door closed.

"Is she going to be ok?" Constance asked as she took Maura's other hand in hers. "She looks so fragile. There are so many bruises."

"She tougher than she looks, tougher than I ever gave her credit for. She's got a couple of broken ribs and of course the leg." Jane pointed down to the cast on her leg. "They are going to keep her for observation tonight so maybe she'll be able to go home tomorrow. We might have to talk the doctor into keeping her for a couple of extra days because it will be the only way she'll rest." She smiled up at her mother and Constance and they both smiled a genuine smile and nodded.

"You do know her well don't you Jane?" Jane just nodded not know where this was going. "She talked to me about you during one of our few mother daughter talks. She loves you very much and always has." She looked up at Tommy trying to let him know that Jane did not steal Maura away from him, she was never his to begin with. "One thing I do know about my daughter, when she gives her heart away it's for life."

"Like Ian?" Jane asked tentatively.

"Ian was the love of her life but you are her soul mate, her other half. Ian never fulfilled her, he used her and she was too in love to know this. You opened her eyes to him and to you." Constance reached across Maura's body and rested her free hand on Jane's hand that was holding Maura's. "I do know I've never seen her as happy as when she is just talking about you. She's so proud of all you've done and she brags about you."

"She does?" Jane asked surprised.

"All right folks you're going to have to continue this discussion later. Everyone out of the elevator so I can get her out."

"Gee Jan you can be bossy when you want to can't you?" Jane asked with a smile.

"I have to b e to be able to control the likes of you. And you." She looked over her shoulder at Frankie. "How are you by the way Frankie?"

"Doing pretty good Jan." Frankie gave her the Rizzoli smile.

"Just one big happy freaking family." Tommy muttered under his breath.

"You got something to say Tommy? Let's take it outside so we don't disrupt Maura's sleep." She looked to the sleeping woman.

Jan wheeled the bed into the assigned room. "Jane can you help me transfer her to the bed. None of that She-Hulk stuff this time I don't want you hurting your own ribs again." Jan watched as Jane expertly grabbed the sheets under Maura's shoulders as she grabbed the sheet at her feet. "On three, 1, 2 3."

They transferred her and Jane ran her fingers through Maura's hair when she heard a whimper from Maura. "It's ok sweetie, we're done moving you around. Now you can rest." She leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Constance you can visit first for as long as you like. You and Ma can set up a schedule or whatever but I plan on being here all night by her side." She turned to Tommy. "Did you want to talk more or are you going to sit and pout? If so I am going outside for a little walk and you are welcome to join me if you want. You too Frankie, come on." She didn't see Frankie dial his phone as he followed behind her.

She turned to leave the room but Angela caught her arm. "Don't hurt him too bad." She smiled at Jane.

Jane left the room not caring if they followed or not but she headed toward the elevator and faced the back wall until the door closed. She turned around and Tommy sucker punched her in the chin. "What the hell Tommy." Frankie pulled Tommy back when he lunged at her again. "You heard Constance, I did not take her away from you, she wasn't yours to lose." She ran her tongue along her split lip and looked at Tommy with anger blazing in her eyes. "Leave it to you to take the coward's way out and hit me when I wasn't ready. You afraid of a girl Tommy? Pathetic. I actually felt sorry for you but not anymore. Maura is way too good for you."

"Well you come from the same cut I come from." Tommy spat at her as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor. He stormed out of the hospital to the parking lot. "Is this a good spot Janie, want to beat the crap out of me? Go ahead, try." He stood with his fists raised ready to fight Jane. Neither noticed when Frost and Korsak walked up behind them and gave Frankie a silent thank you.

"Tommy I don't want to fight. You're just going to have to accept the fact that Maura just never felt the same way you did." She tried to reason with him but he didn't look like he was buying into what she was saying. Jane jumped out of his way when he lunged for her with his fists flying. "Come on Tommy I don't want to hurt you."

"St. Jane, the perfect daughter. You were always the standard we had to live up to and it was impossible. Do you know how hard it was to follow behind you in school?"

"Tommy I sucked in school and I skipped out whenever I could and if you had a problem living up to that then don't lay it at my feet that's your problem." She heard snickering behind her and looked back to see the three men behind trying to keep from laughing. "I am not the perfect daughter, Ma will be the first to tell you that. She hates that I became a cop and she blames me for Frankie becoming one too. And she reminds me of it whenever she gets the chance. How long have you been holding this in? Do you blame me for you running over Father Crowley too?" Jane looked him in the eye and saw the truth. "I can't believe you! Have you ever once taken responsibility for one thing that ever happened to you?"

"Of course I have. But following in your footsteps isn't an easy thing to do." Tommy stared at her and Jane could still see the anger in his eyes.

"So your drinking was my fault, your running over Father Crowley was my fault, being in prison was my fault, Maura loving me instead of you is my fault. I suppose it's my fault that you can't find a good job."

"I have a job and I found it on my own." Tommy slowly defended himself. Knowing he got the job because of a friend didn't make him feel much better. "I have my own place and I will show you I can make it on my own. I'll show all of you."

"I hope you do Tommy, I want you to do well, I really do." Jane said earnestly and started to walk away.

Before she could do anything to defend herself she found herself being tackled from behind and felt her chin hit the pavement and she had just enough time to turn over before she was flat on her back in the parking lot with Tommy sitting on top of her pummeling her with his fists. All Jane could do was put her hands up to cover her face. He got a few good punches into her already hurt ribs. "Don't you patronize me Jane. I will make good and I will come back and show Maura I could be a good partner. Just as good as you." He landed one more punch on her chin before Jane threw him off of her and wrapped her arm around his neck to hold him still.

"Didn't you hear a thing that has been said here? Maura will never love you the way you want her too. Even her mother said she loved me not you." Tommy snuck in a punch to her stomach and Jane had had enough. She kneed him in the stomach and climbed on top of him when he fell to the ground. She placed her hands on both of his wrists like she had when they were kids and looked him straight in the eye. "I've had enough. Are you really that stupid Tommy? Ma and Pa didn't raise any fools so listen up. Until you come to grips with this you are no longer welcome in my home and since my home is where Maura is that includes her home too."

"You can't make that decision for her." He said like the petulant child he was. "I want to hear it from Maura herself."

"No Tommy. Until you get your shit together you are not allowed anywhere near her or me. If that means family dinners are at Ma's house and Maura and I do not attend so be it. The ball is in your court little brother only you can make this right." She stood up and turned to walk back into the hospital and heard a scuffle behind her and turned to see Frankie, Frost and Korsak holding him back. She just shook her head and turned back to the hospital. She took the elevator up to the third floor and wanted to check on Maura.

She walked into the room without thinking about her appearance and stopped when she saw her mother's face. "Oh Jane why did you have to fight with him?"

Jane sat down in the nearest chair and hung her head, then looked up at her mother. "I didn't touch him Ma." She said in a very quiet tired voice. "All I wanted to do was talk to him but he didn't want to hear any of it." She tried to stand up and yelped in pain from her ribs and sat back.

"But Jane you always start fights with him." Angela pointed out to Jane.

"Not this time Ma." They all turned to see Frankie standing in the doorway. "As much as she was already hurting she let Tommy hit her. He sucker punched her when we got in the elevator, hit her without even giving her a chance to defend herself. But the rest of the time she was trying to get him to talk out his anger but he didn't want to, instead he did that." He pointed to a very weary Jane sitting in the chair with blood dripping from her chin.

"Jane…" Came the quiet voice form the bed and Jane was at her side instantly. Maura opened her eyes and looked at Jane with clear eyes . "Oh Jane you've been fighting again?" She shook her back and forth.

Jane took a deep breath knowing if she didn't she'd say something she'd regret later. "Just a little misunderstanding with Tommy. I hope it will be ok. Just rest, don't worry about it sweetie."

"You should be nice to him Jane." Maura looked up at her with disappointment in her eyes.

"Why does everyone always assume it's my fault. I did everything in my power to avoid fighting with him. He kept poking and poking me trying to get me to fight and I didn't give in." She pointed to her face and pulled her shirt up to show new bruises. "He did this to me and nobody is telling him how wrong it was." She pulled her shirt back down and winced in pain. "I'm so tired of taking the blame for everything Tommy has done his whole life." Her voice was getting louder by the minute.

"Calm down Jane, you'll get kicked out of here. I'm sure Tommy didn't mean to hurt you." Maura said as she tried to grab Jane's hand.

She pulled her hand away. "You're defending him too? I can't believe this." She reached up and wiped the blood from her lip and chin and wiped it on her ripped jeans. "I take a pummeling and only do one thing to stop him, and that was as a last resort because he was beginning to hurt my already sore ribs and everybody takes his side. I thought you'd be different Maura. Do you even care whether I'm hurt or not? I guess not." She looked at her with sad eyes and turned and almost ran out of the room. She heard Maura call after her but she didn't stop.

"What she said was the truth. Tommy was sitting on top of her beating the crap out of her and she could have stopped it anytime but she didn't because she thought once he got it out of his system he'd listen to reason. When she finally threw him off of her all he kept saying was that he was going to prove everyone wrong and make you see him for what he was and you'd fall in love with him." He said the last part to Maura. He turned toward his mother. "You have no idea how many times Janie took the blame for something Tommy and I did as we were growing up because she couldn't stand to see us get in trouble. Remember the broken picture window? You thought it was her because she had a cut on her arm. She got the cut because Tommy pushed her into the window from behind. And she didn't do anything to him. She took her punishment and paid for the window all the while knowing it was Tommy's fault. I could not have wished for a better sister growing up but right now I'm kind of ashamed of my family because everyone is taking Tommy's side again when you know you're wrong." He turned to Maura again. "If you want Tommy he'll be more than happy to come running but if you want Jane you're going to have to work to get her back because she has taken a couple of major hits in the last hour or so and I don't mean just the physical. She hasn't left your side since she found you in that house. She hasn't slept since you went missing and now she's hit with this. I'm going to go find her." He turned and gave his mother a disapproving look.

"What have I done?" Maura asked from the bed. This time it was Angela that came to her side. Constance still sat there on her other side not sure what to say or do. She'd never been around a family like the Rizzoli's, they sure wear their emotions on their sleeve. At least you knew where you stood with them. "Angela, what am I going to do I can't lose her."

"You won't lose her, she'll be back." Angela sat down in the chair beside her bed and patted her hand.

"I don't know. She's right. I saw that she was hurt again and instead of asking if she was ok I blamed her for fighting with Tommy. What was that all about anyway? Never mind I have to find her." Maura was trying to get out of bed but fell back when her broken rib made their presence known. "How much more must Jane be feeling. Did you see her ribs?" Constance watched as Maura mood changed from one of remorse to one of anger. "How could Tommy do that to her knowing she was already hurt."

"He couldn't believe you chose Jane over him." Maura turned to her mother. "I told everyone that you had told me a while ago how much you loved Jane and have for a long time but he chose not to believe it. He apparently took it out on Jane. How can one sibling do that to another?"

Angela hung her head knowing she made a big mistake in defending Tommy this time. She stood up and kissed Maura's forehead then headed for the door. "Angela, where are you going?" Maura asked from her bed.

"I'm going to find my daughter and beg for her forgiveness then find my son and beat some sense into him. I'll be back later."

"She's not really going to beat him is she?" Constance asked from her chair still slightly shocked at all the emotions being displayed.

"It wouldn't surprise me. I really messed up this time Mother. I hurt her so bad. I don't know if she'll forgive me for this." Maura didn't even try to stop the tears.

"You two have been through a lot and you still come back to each other in the long run. She'll be back." Constance felt stiff offering advice to Maura. This was not how they dealt with these types of things. They swept them under the rug and hoped they turned out ok. But this wasn't going to go away by itself and she realized talking things through was not that bad of a thing to do. "You may have to do some groveling my dear." She gave Maura a small smile.

"Humble pie, groveling, begging, crawling on my knees, I don't care what it takes I'll do it if it will bring her back. Mother I've got to get out of here. I have to find her. I can't just lie here hoping she'll come back." Maura tried to sit up again and knew she couldn't do it. "How the hell does Jane do it?"

"Language Maura. And how does she do what dear?"

"She's out there hurting mentally and physically, by herself. She's so strong. I wish she would let me be strong for her."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Just stitch it so I can get out of here." Jane was getting impatient.

"Everybody's talking about your episode with your brother in the parking lot. Is this an ongoing feud or is it something new?" Jan asked Jane as she put another stitch in the cut on her forehead. "And what are you doing down here? You never come in on your own."

Jane gave her the old Rizzoli smirk but it didn't reach her eyes. Jan could see she was hurting in more ways than just the physical. "Tommy says he's in love with Maura and thinks I took her away from him. He blames me for everything that has gone wrong in his life so tonight I tried to let him get it out of his system but he wouldn't listen to reason. Even after Constance said Maura had told her a while ago she was in love with me he thought he could win her back. Then I went back upstairs and everyone blamed me. Even Maura. I figured here was the last place anyone would look so I thought I could get fixed up in peace." She gave Jan a sheepish grin.

"Are you going to go back upstairs? I'm sure Maura didn't mean it." Jan asked quietly.

"I'm not sure, I'm really angry and I don't want to say something I might regret later. Right now I need to sleep. I haven't slept in over 2 days. Maybe I'll just go home." Jane felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and all of the sudden she felt too tired to worry about anything.

"Maybe you should spend the night here?" Jan suggested.

"No way. Are we done?"

"Yeah I think so. Think about staying here Jane, you shouldn't be alone right now." Jan was worried about her.

"I'll be fine, I'm used to it." Jane swung her legs off the table and stood up and had to grab the table to regain her balance.

"See you can't even stand up on your own. Why don't you let me drive you home? I'm out of here in about 10 minutes."

"Don't worry about it." Jane walked out and heard her phone ringing and saw that it was her mother again and she turned the phone off and walked slowly to her car. She sat in the car and thought about what had happened over the past couple of hours. She was still pissed at Tommy for beating the crap out of her just as she was beginning to feel human again and she knew she had probably been unfair to Maura but she always took Tommy's side. She leaned forward and started the car and headed home. Jo greeted her at the door with her usual exuberance but for once Jane was just not in the mood so she took her out to do her thing with barely a word and took her back inside. She climbed in the shower and let the water wash away some of the grunge and grime from almost three days working and running non-stop. When she finished she went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer and plopped down on the couch. Jo jumped up on her lap and started licking her face. "I supposed you're mad at me too. Join the club so is everybody else." She buried her face in Jo's neck and just sat there.

She woke to the sound of pounding on her door about 4 hours later. "Come on Jane I know you're in there, open up." She groaned at the sound of Frankie's voice. "Open up before I kick the door down."

She walked over to the door and opened it then walked back to the couch and looked at the clock. "What do you want Frankie it's almost midnight? I'm trying to sleep. Get in here before you wake the whole neighborhood."

He walked over and picked her phone up from the coffee table and saw that it was turned off. "I guess that explains why you're not answering your phone."

"I turned it off after about the10th time Ma called. I'm just not ready to talk about it yet." Jane sat back down on the couch and drank the rest of her beer and grimaced at the stale beer.

"Maura thinks you aren't coming back. She was crying after you left." Frankie said the last hoping it would get to Jane.

"Hitting below the belt there Frankie and I was going to go back but I fell asleep. Can you give me a ride over there? I don't think I should be driving as tired as I am." Jane stood up and winced again.

"How bad did Tommy hurt you?" Frankie asked with genuine concern.

Jane pulled up her shirt and showed him the new bruises and the stitches in her forehead. "Four stitches to fix this one and this time I think one of the ribs is broken. Don't tell Tommy but he's got a pretty good right hook." She rubbed her chin to make her point. She limped towards the door.

"You do know it's past visiting hours right?" Frankie smiled knowingly.

"Since when did that stop a Rizzoli?" Jane smiled back at him. "Hey can you take care of Jo for a couple of days? Just check on her and let her out. I want to take care of Maura and I don't think she needs to be trying to avoid a dog in her own home. Just for a day or two ok?"

"Sure." He scooped Jo up in his arms. "Come on kid Mom's ignoring you again."

"Hey don't say that she'll get a complex." Jane walked over and scratched behind Jo's ear and leaned down to Jo's level. "It's just for a couple of days while I take care of Maura ok?"

Frankie laughed at the high pitched voice she used. "Come on Mommy let's go." He went ahead of Jane so she could lock up behind them.

Frankie pulled into the circular drive of the hospital and stopped the car. Jane turned towards him with a look of trepidation in her eyes. "Was she really mad after I left?"

"No she was sad. Now go in there and make things right."

"Thanks Frankie." Jane left the car and almost ran into the hospital. She smiled at the nurses at the nurse's station on the 3rd floor.

"We were wondering when you'd be back. You know it's past visiting hours right?" Jane nodded. "Would we be able to stop you if you wanted to go in there?" Jane shook her head. "That's what we thought." She pointed to the other nurses. "So you might as well go on in. Don't do anything to rile her up ok? She needs her rest." They all smiled as Jane hurried past them to Maura's room without having said a word..

Jane stood at the door and just looked at Maura as she slept. God she's so beautiful, how could I ever have doubted her? She walked over to the chair next to the bed and gently took Maura's hand and just sat there. She could have kicked herself when she saw the streaks on her cheeks left from the tears she had cried. "I'm so sorry Maura." She whispered as she lifted her hand to her lips.

"You came back." Jane looked up into eyes that looked at her warily. "I wasn't sure if you would."

"Always Maura. I am so sorry I hurt you like I did." She stood and started to lean over but her ribs stopped her and she yelped and sat back down.

"Oh Jane he did hurt you didn't he?" See saw the bandage on her forehead. "How bad?" She pointed to the bandage.

"What Jan didn't run up here to tell you?" Maura shook her head. "Four stitches. Maura I didn't fight back I swear." Jane started to explain.

"Shhh." Maura reached up and placed a finger on her lips. "Frankie explained everything after you left and he made sure your Mother and I both knew you were only trying to talk to him. I'm so sorry I took his side that was so wrong of me. I should have listened to you before I spoke."

"Are you saying the great Doctor Maura Isles jumped to a conclusion before she had all of the facts?" Jane gave her the old Rizzoli smirk.

"Yes that is what I am saying and it will never happen again." Maura said with sincerity.

"I'm sure it will but at least now that I know you are capable of it I will be better prepared next time." She once again brought Maura's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Go to sleep I'll be here when you wake up."

Maura moved over on the bed and patted the empty space beside her. "Come here, you can't sleep sitting in that chair."

Jane slid in next to her and took as deep a breath as she could and inhaled Maura's scent. "I'm not hurting you am I?" She asked as she lay her head down on Maura's shoulder.

"Nothing has ever felt better in my life." Maura smiled contentedly.

"Nothing?" Jane asked suggestively.

"Well there may have been a few occasions when I've felt better but this is a different kind of better." Maura pulled her in tighter.

"I wouldn't want you to forget those moments and I can assure you there will be many more." She heard Maura's breathing start to even out. "I love you Maura."

"I love you too Jane. I'm really sorry I hurt you. I'll try to avoid such instances in the future." Jane sighed and Maura knew when she fell asleep. She leaned down and kissed the top of her head then lay back and closed her eyes.

That was the way Angela and Constance found them the next morning. "I'm so glad she came back. Maura was so upset. It looks like they worked out their differences."

"I told you Jane would come back. She loves Maura too much to let things go too far for too long." Angela walked over and gently kissed Jane's forehead then sat down in the chair as Constance sat down in the chair on the other side of the bed. "Don't they look cute together?"

"They sure look content." Constance said as she pulled a magazine from her bag and sat back to wait.

Jane opened her eyes and saw Constance sitting beside the bed and made a quick move to get off of Maura. "Shit!"

"Language Jane." Maura said as she opened her eyes to see the distress in Jane's. She turned her head and looked where Jane was staring. "Good morning Mother. How are you today?" She smiled at her mother.

"We brought you some croissants if you're hungry." Constance couldn't help but laugh at the look of dread on Jane's face and watched as she carefully turned over to see Angela sitting in the other chair.

Angela wiggled her fingers in a wave of sorts and gave both women a huge smile. "I'm glad you came back Jane. I looked everywhere for you last night and you weren't answering your phone. I was worried until Frankie called me to let me know you were ok. I still haven't found Tommy. He'll come out when he's ready. Then I have a few choice words for him about beating on his sister when she's already hurting. How are you by the way?"

"Do you really care Ma?" Jane felt Maura squeeze her in warning. "What? She didn't seem to care about anything but Tommy last night."

Angela didn't back down from Jane's accusations. "I guess I deserve that. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. But he's my baby and…no that's no excuse, just believe me when I say I'm sorry ok?"

"Ok where's my real Ma? What did you do with her? Since when do you not take Tommy's side?" Jane smiled to take the bite out of what she said.

"Since Frankie told me a few things about what you did for them when you were growing up." Angela looked at Jane with nothing but love in her eyes.

"Now you're really starting to scare me. What could Frankie have said to make you do this complete about face?" Jane reached out and took Angela's hand that was resting on the bed beside her.

"He told me that you took the blame for a lot of things he and Tommy did as you were growing up. I blamed you for almost everything and when you didn't fight back I assumed you were guilty."

"They were such wimps. They always came running to me afterward crying and I couldn't stand to see them cry so it became easier to just take the blame. Then they would come and apologize and thank me for my awesomeness. That was so much easier." Everyone in the room knew it was so much more than that but none of them refuted what she said.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry I've been so hard on you. I just wanted what was best for you."

"I know that Ma but I'm a big girl now and you have to let go sometime. As you can see I never needed a man in my life to make me happy." She turned and kissed Maura on the top of her head and looked at her lovingly. "By the way, good morning." She turned back to her mother. "I knew you always wanted what was best for me but as you can also see, you don't always know what's best." She gave her mother the widest grin she could produce and they all had a good laugh. "Now Ma would you help me out of this bed so I can use the bathroom? Constance you may want to let one of the nurses know that Maura is awake and may want to use the facilities so they can come in and show us what we need to do."

"Jane I do not need any assistance to get out of bed and use the bathroom!" She said adamantly then proceeded to try to show them and yelped in pain from the broken rib. "How do you do it Jane? You have to be in far more pain than me yet you move as if you aren't."

"Because I'm the badass cop and you're just my part time badass protector. In other words, you're a wimp." Jane ducked the pillow Maura threw at her then laughed as Maura yelped again. "See I told you." But when she finally made it to the bathroom she yelped in pain then lifted her shirt to check out her ribs. "Damn." She pressed on the spot where she could see the most bruising and knew she needed a wrap to make it feel better. She walked out of the bathroom to see everyone looking at her. "I'm going to the nurse's station, I'll be right back."

"She too stupid for her own sake." Angela laughed.

"Did just call your daughter stupid?" Constance asked dumbfounded that a mother would say that in the presence of others.

"Of course I did. You heard her in the bathroom just as well as I did. She will not admit when she is in pain and she will not accept help of any kind. Well except when it's Maura doing the helping." She smiled as Jane came back into the room.

She held up the ace bandage and walked over to Maura who was by now sitting up in bed. "Can you do it for me?" She asked shyly.

"Of course I will if someone will help me into the chair." Maura asked as she looked between Angela and Constance.

"I'll help you." Jane walked towards her to help her out of the bed.

"Get out of the way you stubborn cuss. You always were the most hardheaded of all of us. If you can't even wrap your own ribs how do you expect to help her out of the bed? Jane stood back in frustration and watched her mother do what she should be doing. Maura hissed in pain as Angela gently put her arm around Maura's waist and helped her out of the bed. "Do you want to hit the bathroom as long as you are up? Then when you come back you can sit and stay seated."

"That makes sense. Is that ok Jane? Can you wait a few moments while I relieve myself?" Maura looked at Jane as if she were apologizing for having to go to the bathroom.

"Of course Maura, your needs should always come first." Maura touched her cheek as she walked by her knowing what she said applied to much more than this situation.

"Thank you. I'll be right back." The look that passed between the two of them caused Constance to almost look away because it seemed so private.

Jane turned to Constance after Maura disappeared into the bathroom. "So where are those croissants? I'm famished."

Constance shook her head to bring herself back to the moment and she reached down beside her for the bag from one of Jane's favorite bakeries. "Here, I don't suppose you've taken the time to eat properly since all of this started." She handed the bag to Jane and watched as she dug in with gusto. "Save at least one for Maura, she loves them."

"I know, we go to that bakery all the time. Maura also likes the donuts with the sprinkles on them. She's like a little kid in a candy shop there. The guys in the office love it when she brings donuts." Jane turned as she heard the bathroom door open and watched as Maura came back out. She saw that she had finger combed her hair and she probably brushed her teeth already too. She looked wonderful. Jane reached out and took her hand when she got close enough and helped her into the chair.

"I'm not sure I can reach around you to wrap it but I'll do my best." She looked up at Jane with an apologetic smile.

Constance surprised them all when she walked around to the side of the bed where they all stood. "Why don't you hand it to me darling then I can wrap it around and hand it back to you. Will that work?"

"Yes Mother that will work perfectly. Thank you." Maura then started to wrap and with a few instructions they were able to wrap Jane's ribs as good as Maura had on her own before. "You've got potential Mother. You did well."

Jane sat down on the side of the bed and took a good look at Maura. If it weren't for the cuts and bruises she looked almost like her old self. Jane knew from experience that the dreams would come and she hoped she would be there to quiet her fears and make her nights as peaceful as possible. They all turned at the quiet knock at the door and Jane jumped to her feet when she saw who it was. "What the hell Tommy didn't I tell you to stay away?"

"You said to stay away until I get my shit together." He gave her a tentative smile.

"Do they all swear like this?" Constance asked Maura.

"Yes Mother they do."

"So you're saying you are ok with Maura and I dating? You're not going to punch me out every time we get in an elevator together? You're not going to jump me in the parking lot when we leave?" Jane tried to smile but she wasn't sure if she could trust him or not.

"I promise not to beat you up and we can still have family dinners without fighting anymore than we usually do."

"You do know that I let you win that fight right? I could have taken you at anytime." Jane didn't move from where she had been standing.

"There's no way you could have won that fight. I had you the whole time." He took a step towards Jane.

"Then how come I was able to throw you off as easy as I did and stop you from hitting me?" Jane took a step forward.

"Are they going to fight again?" Constance looked towards Angela with a worried expression.

"I'm not quite sure." Angela was ready to break it up if necessary.

"Ah hell not again." Frankie said as he walked into the room and saw Jane and Tommy almost chest to chest. He walked between them and they both backed down.

"I guess you were right about the swearing." Constance said to Maura.

"I am right 99% of the time Mother." Maura gave her mother a knowing smile.

"What about the other 1%?" This time it was Jane that asked without taking her eyes off of Tommy.

"Well then I would Google it of course." She said matter of factly.

And what would Jane say to that? "That's my girl."

**THE END!**


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